Beyond two Worlds
by Selfa
Summary: In fife years lots of things happened. Worlds collided. Distrust and fear controlle humanity today...but Yumemi's dream, impossible and so far away, seems to become reality. A game between kings an queens begins, kingdoms and empires are the prize and a fight for survival starts beyond the clouds. When the Girl of Destiny falls in love with the magical king, skies will burn...
1. Prologue: Strange things called dreams

**Hey everyone, welcome!** There's more information about this little story in chapter 1 and don't be surprised, the prologue is short and the story begins slow;) But it's going to be dramatic. **Have fun!**

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Prologue: STRANGE THINGS, CALLED DREAMS

They say when we dream, our deepest wishes become reality. Dreams show the innermost desires of a person, no matter how selfish they might be. If you dream, you create your own world, controlled only by yourself. This world follows the dreamers will in every detail. Dreams reveal, what you don't want to accept about yourself. But this dream was the strangest one I've ever had. And you should know that some parts of my life could have been arising from a dream...

It was dark and cold. Darkness covered my eyes, turned everything I saw in shadows and made the outlines become blurred. I was blind, helpless and lonely inside the black. But anyway, though I should be anxious, should be afraid of what was there in the darkness with me, my heart was pumping calm and evenly. Because it wasn't connected to real things, didn't fear darkness or light and didn't need to see clear. My heart saw better than my eyes had been able to.

And it saw the shadow falling out of the sky, how it broke through the cloud cover dragging a veil behind him in the moonless night, as if the clouds decided to follow him. Obsered how he lightly touched the grass and looked up to my window, as if he'd know where I was. And suddenly he was standing next to my bed and my heart started beating faster, because it knew, felt, who was there next to me, watching me in the dark. Then I saw through the mist. This time with my eyes. A coat was blowing around him, like a quiet wind was sneaking through the room. And as fast as my eyes had opened, they closed again, the light of the stars outside expired and I drifted into the fog again.

…

Then a silent rustle. A rustle of wind. Darkness again. Silence again. Something warm on my cheek. Textile nestled comfortable and soft on my skin, like a warm, protecting hug...

…

An intoxicating, soothing smell..._a fresh breeze...rustling leafs inside deep forests...silent mist over wide plateaus..._

_…_

„Yumemi…Take care of our both worlds for me. I'll protect what's important to me. And I'll come back...one day. Until this day, stay in your world. Live the life you always wished for. Be a normal human. Tell nobody who you are. Nobody may know it, do you understand? It would only bring you in danger...You may never forget..._As long as we look out for tomorrow, the future will not come to an end. As long as we don't give up, hope will always be there_."

After that it became cold again. He went away. Left me alone in the dark and suddenly it wasn't peaceful anymore. It became icy cold, wind whipped me hard and it felt like spikes on my skin and with every step he left, my mind became clearer. Got rid of the icy claws and forced me out of the dark.

Two golden eyes in the darkness, a window creaked, cold wind touched my skin like a disturbing consoling gesture and the shadow disappeared between the clouds.

I sat up instantly, hand raised, only one thing in mind. He shouldn't go. Not again. Not him.

„MUNTO!"

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_**Yeah, that's it. Hopefully I managed to arouse your interest and you keep on reading!**_

_**Selfa**_


	2. Whispering voices

Hey guys! Welcome to my story: **Beyond two worlds.** It's my first story here, so I hope you'll enjoy it!

The Prologue was pretty short so I give you the next chapter right away. I'm still a bit confused with the uploading system, so I hope it's allright and works like I want it to.

**Summary: _In fife years lots of things happen. Worlds collide, distrust and fear are controlling humanity ...but Yumemi's dream, impossible and so far away seems to become reality. A game between kings an queens begins, kingdoms and empires are the prize and a fight for survival starts beyond the clouds. When the Girl of Destiny falls in love with the magical king, skies will burn..._**

Be ready for lots of drama, this story is going to be looong...or more I hope so, because it's a translation of an already existing german story of mine. That's why I know, I won't be able to upload the chapters regularly and I don't know if I'm able to manage it until the end. Also, because the german story isn't finished yet, but I'll do my best to keep going. So every feedback I'll get will help me writing ;) If you find some mistake in spelling or grammar please ignore them or tell me. I'm no english native speaker so I still have some problems sometimes.

I have to say, this story came out of nowhere:D I'll use the OVA's as template by the way. I know there's also a film and a TV series, but I prefer to do it like that. I think it's the easiest one to get information from and I can still use my imagination;) I'll list the characters from the anime under the chapters and if I do so, you can be sure this characters exist like that even if they are not so known and their names are just said once or something like that. Every other characters are mine, hehe ._.

So that's enough from me, much fun reading, I'd be happy about some little reviews :3

_Selfa._._

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Chapter one: WISPERING VOICES

„Hey! Yumemi!"

A steady wind came over the water and let the grass swing peacefully, while it wafted over my arms. The big river sparkled in the sunlight and in the background there were some city noises, easy to ignore. Tired, I opened my eyes and had free view to the light blue sky, as beautiful as it was. Only at the horizon I could see some white clouds, growing little by little to a grey monster, eating up the sky like a hungry animal. It was going to rain and I wasn't happy about it at all.

I didn't like rain. Not any more. In the past I did so, yeah I adored rainy days. Okay, less the rain, more the clouds, those were hiding the truth from me. At least for a while, I'd been able to feel like a normal child and didn't have to think about the possibility that something with me eyesight or my sanity in general went incredibly wrong. Nowadays, clouds were nothing more than annoying products of nature, which could disappear immediately if you asked me. A clear sky was much more beautiful. So endlessly and full of mysteries. Cool wind tickled my nose. I didn't care. Because together with the wind, _they _came. The voices.

Fife years. Pretty long time, don't you think? Fife years ago, the general world population or the "Lower World" had been confronted with the fact, that there was something like magic. Strange, in view of the fact that even people who pretended to believe in the impossible, had some problems to give an explanation. Consequently, it took some months to convince humanity that this wasn't just the delusion of a child. Mine to be more precise.

For a while, I felt the desire to visit all people who called me a freak, idiot and what ever, to smile friendly and to point into the sky, without saying a word and to wait for their reaction. If I had been insane, they were now too. I'd like to see that faces.

But even fife years hadn't been enough for mankind to get used to the islands in the sky. Especially, if you could see them from the ground, but weren't able to get close to them after you crossed a special high.

Right know, you couldn't see the city centre because of the cloud cover, which was hiding the obvious most of the time. There was just a single way up. Only one. And it was guarded so strict like the White House. Honestly.

Extremely strange. Even for me, who was used to see flying islands everyday. For all the other living beings on the planet...well...it was not hard to understand how psychologists and scientists made as much money as never before. But unfortunately glasses wouldn't help anybody. And I should know that, because then my childhood would have been much more comfortable. That's for sure.

But I guess, somehow, I would never be able to call myself an average citizen. Because now, when everybody could _see_, when I wasn't alone anymore...I _heard _them. Probably I didn't deserve to be normal.

Voices you couldn't call like that. They didn't talk. I just called them voices, because I had no othre idea and in a way, they really did talk to me. They told me stories and legends from unknown countries I would never see, in a language I didn't speak. By showing me pictures, colours and emotions I saw more than with words. Well, don't ask for the scientist details, I usually tried not to think about it. Would just get a headache from that. It was definitely scary. In general, it wasn't a good sign to hear voices in your head, even today, when island started to fly. But I wasn't afraid. Not of this unknown voices, flowing through the air like lost souls. Okay, I guess, if this had really been ghosts then I would have been hiding and never be seen again, before I had a chat with undead individuals. I, though, wasn't that interested to spend the rest of my still pretty young life - which had been saved definitely to often, if you asked me - in fear. So I was revealed I kind of knew who was whispering into my ear from time to time.

I don't care if it is ridiculous. But I could hear it. The voice of the _Akuto_. I heard the spirits of the two worlds. I was able to hear it flowing through every being there was, how it was flying with the wind and walking through time and space, like blood in human veins. Sounds crazy, doesn't it? It took a while until I convinced myself I didn't become insane after all. Until I listened.

Like I've already said, the language was incomprehensible - if it was a language - but somehow I knew what they were telling me. They told me what happened between the worlds and when I closed my eyes and allowed myself to dream a bit, the _Akuto_ showed me pictures from a place beyond both worlds. And every time I did so, my mind didn't get tired to tell me about my plans to avoid everything supernatural and to stay with both feet on earth. Already the part with the supernatural stuff was a bit complicated. As said, islands flew in the sky.

Dreamy I looked up, felt like the grass tickled my arms again und lifted my hand up, spreading my fingers like I wanted to touch the clouds.

The reason for the annoyed sigh next to me, that made me chuckle. I wanted to go back. Back to this world, which wasn't mine. Weird. Something was missing, though it seemed I had everything you could wish for. Anyway I wanted back to this world, which had once been my little secret. Now it was real, unquestioned and a fact.

But hey, it's not like there was anything I could do. Besides I knew a person next to me, who was already impatiently waiting to force me into class and would prefer drowning me before losing sight of the islands. Although she didn't really like them. Well, more the people up there - to be more precise the Heaven people - or rather one single red haired man. I still wasn't sure how to describe this weird and though possessing spiky ears definitely too handsome guy. Thank good I realised the last part not until two years ago. Otherwise I probably would have been imitating a tomato back then as often as he was carrying me around. Well, I start drifting away.

Fife years are a long time. Particularly, if you didn't hear anything from him. I should be angrier at him than I was. Also, because he was jumping around in my head nearly everyday. Like an annoying parasite. Nice comparison. A mighty mage, addressing himself Lord and king of a flying continent, who was able to throw energy out of his hands like a snowball, was annoying like an insect. Not bad.

The only reason I wasn't completely pissed was probably, that he came to me once again before he left. Though I wouldn't bet on it. Still wasn't sure if I had been only dreaming. Though the cape under my pillow spoke volumes.

Anyway, I was still asking myself if he knew what he was talking about. After all he told me not to go to his world but to protect it at the same time. Understand this logic. And don't tell anybody you are the _Akuto_-making Girl of Destiny. Not that I planned it, anyhow I just lost my status as weirdo. Now claiming, I could create the life spending energy of the universe - by the way I could not control this action at all - wouldn't be so positive. Especially, because it would probably make me the states enemy number one or bring me into a labour for paranormal phenomena.

"Hey! Yumemi! How long are you going to stare into the clouds? We're late!"

To be honest, I wouldn't have a problem with being late. Laying here, looking up to the clouds, was so fulfilling I felt completely happy. Listening to the voices were so special, I loved it. But unfortunately Ono Ichiko, my best friend since childhood, seemed not to see that. Or more, she knew, but preferred to ignore it. So she nearly dragged me aside the river. The 18 year old girl was pretty good in ignoring the sceptical looks other people on their morning walk gave us, probably because we were used to it. Our college - Ichiko nearly kissed the director after she got her Letter of Acceptance- was weird. Somehow everything was weird since a while.

Ichiko did not really change in the last fife years, except of leaving her dad finally alone. He nearly drowned in tears. Had been such a drama. But hey, his reaction was really predictable. And nothing compared to my dad.

"Suzume!"

Welcome my other best friend, Imamura Suzume, a little bit slow but incredibly lovely. And the only person I know, who married with 13 years. Don't know others who managed that. Also, because her husband is 5 years older, and called Takamori Kazuya and the current CEO of the biggest businesses in town , the Takamori Cooperation. With his troublesome past. But people change. Kazuya did in a positive way.

"Ichiko! Yumemi!"

Hardly breathing, Suzume stopped and smiled up to us. She _did _change. A lot. She was still the smallest out of us three, but somehow, during her puberty, she made a big step forward. In size and language skills both. Furthermore she became pretty. Okay, she was so beautiful now Ichiko and I were regularly hunted by inferiority. Luckily nearly everybody on campus knew about her special relationship and her "husband", so we didn't had to protect her from annoying idiots. There were enough for Ichiko herself.

Well, I wasn't that popular, I guess. Ichiko told me the completely opposite, but somehow I suspected this special gene about getting-a-boyfriend-as-fast-as-I-can - that has already been chasing all the other girls in class and made them giggle during sports - was missing in my DNA, because I wasn't so interested in fooling around with guys I've never seen before. After all I wasn't Amelia O'Conner - the self-made Campus queen -a native American with an horrible accent, better known as Queen Amy (or like Ichiko said Queen Bitchy), who switched her lovers like normal people their shoes.

I was still this dreamy girl, staring into the sky most of the time, making Ichiko giving me a moral lecture more than once, that no matter how much I stared, Munto wouldn't just fall out from the Heavens. Well, she seemed to forget the fact he already did so, so in theory it was possible. But in nearly future it wasn't that probable. And again I was thinking about him. You should beat him up.

Right now, Ichiko was pulling me through the city without mercy, while Suzume was hopping cheerfully next to us. I guess she would never stop that, but somehow it was reassuring. At least some things didn't change. A lot already did. I bowed my neck with a smile, looked up again in this today so wonderful sky, even with this small cloud over the centre. I loved the sky. This didn't change too.

I had no idea, how much was still going to change drastically.

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**Characters appearing in this chapter in person:**

Hidaka Yumemi

Ono Ichiko

Imamora Suzume


	3. Life under the sky

Chapter two: LIFE UNDER THE SKY

As Ichiko predicted we were too late but at the beginning our professor seemed to ignore us completely. He was scientist by profession and it was known by reliable source, his hair started to drop out, when all scientology had been questioned fife years ago.

Nowadays he had a bald; consequently no hair left and everybody who dared to call the Heavens "cool" or challenge his theories - "This is nothing but a big conspiracy!"- were hunted by such a deadly gaze, you had to be afraid of being killed by a peace of chalk a few seconds later. His name was Kurugi by the way. Usually called baldie.

At first I assumed, he would just go on with his lesson, because normally he would have already screamed at us after entering, or more sneaking inside - Suzume wanted to crawl under the tables, but was stopped by Ichiko. But then I suddenly felt viewed so devastating I had problems not to hide under the next table. Cold grey eyes were always a weird contrast to a wrinkled face in the fifties and really horrifying, if every hair was missing. The white lab coat didn't help at all. Made his skin look even unhealthier.

Somehow Mr. Kurugi always hated me, probably because it was known I liked the Heavens. The same Heavens disturbing his statistics as well as his world view. Yeah, he definitely didn't like me. Same here. He was pretty much of an asshole.

„Miss Hidaka, finally arrived? How pleasant you decided to join my lesson. What was it today? Chatting with the clouds again?"

I already knew how this conversation was going to end - lots of stress for me, and just for me, because he loved letting Suzume and Ichiko go - I simply nodded, hold back a sigh and prayed, I didn't had to clean the sponges again. I really did not like this guy. Not my fault his job now wants him to tell us something about the Heavens. I guess it's normal the kids prefer to know something about the continents flying over their heads instead of staying uninformed. I had already been there so in fact he couldn't tell me anything. Unfortunately nobody knew.

But in general you could say, the lessons in this subject with the creative name 'Heaven Science', did not gave you the kind of information you would expect. Especially not with Kurugi as your professor. He preferred to get upset about the principal forcing him to do this job, instead of letting us know what was happening up there. The only topics we had, were in which way the _Heaven Crisis_ had influenced our world and humankind - mass panics, shock conditions, suicides (fortunately there hadn't been any caused by the Heaven Crisis but Kurugi loved to tell us so) and the hell know what else. Oh yeah and the birthdates of the ambassadors, who'd been allowed to travel up or who gave a huge amount of money into some heaven-projects nobody really knew about. Usually the lesson ended with Kurugi picking out someone of the crowd, screaming a question and then - if he or she hadn't been able to answer correctly in fife seconds, what was normally happening - chasing the poor dog with his chalk through the room. Just for dooming his job after that. But in my point of view, justice at school is unfair or better it doesn't exist at all. Unfair and more than exhausting.

The rest of the day was a normal daily student routine. From one lecture hall to another and facing the challenge of not falling asleep during maths and fighting with mountains of formula and physical phenomena. But compared to Ichiko I understood at least something in the ocean of numbers and letters - well a little bit.

After becoming 17 I could have started a scholarship - don't ask me why I did never find out - in scientists; psychology. Never understood the reason, because usually I'm not that good at finding out someone's mood. Then some fights with Ichiko in her puberty would have been easier.

So, I made a decision at the beginning of the last term, at least my parents could only shake their heads about. Instead of psychology I chose something completely different as my main subject and was confronted with lots of confusion, especially from Ichiko.

„Astronomy?!", Ichiko only had said, obviously shocked. We had been sitting at our kitchen table and she only asked for another, stronger coffee. My decision had been the last prove for her, that I preferred to get lost in the skies than staying on earth and take some responsibilities. Well, she was right I guess. It was stupid and reckless, but every time I was sitting in the lecture hall, together with the other students, and might look at thousands of stars, our teacher were throwing up to the ceiling with a projector, I was completely content. Maybe sometime I was wondering inside, how these stars would look up in the Heavens.

I'm afraid I hadn't this subject today, but fortunately I could join my second favourite subject - World

Mythology. Yeah, honestly it was wonderful. I loved hearing about old cultures in Europe and Africa, Asia for sure too and all these mythic creatures and things were so interesting I had been starting studying even after college. At first I expected Heaven Science to by my favourite subject, but after I realised, that you could learn more by watching the news- still revealing latest, exciting (and wrong) facts- I gave up trying to like it.

Mythology was definitely better (well nothing compared to Astronomy) even if the professor should have a chat with Kurugi one day. Because this woman adored everything supernatural and was so crazy about it, a talk with a complete enemy of everything paranormal would have brought her back to earth. Well, after all she had hair, even if it became grey last year, but it didn't change the fact she could be pretty sympathise after you got used to the horrible mix of stripes and colours, regularly jumping over her outfits.

Later, which means at break, we really had to clean the sponges and I had problems to breath after a while. I have to say my life became...normal. Kind of at least. Like I always wanted. I wasn't the only one seeing the islands anymore. A normal young woman, at the moment only interested in surviving college and without the problem of getting insane.

Unfortunately, though it would make Ichiko hit me, I found my life today...yeah boring.

We got up, went to University everyday, to listen to something some unknown people once decided to be important for our future. Now tell me if this stuff will be helpful in a future no one can say how it's going to look like since five years ago. In fact the world view of most scientists had some big scratches today.

By the way this has been also a hot topic, but until now there had been nothing about leaving out subjects like maths so most of the young lost interest in it pretty fast.

After this more or less exciting affected behaviour of professors we usually took a walk in town, until Suzume ran to Kazuyas business while Ichiko took a visit on her dad, 'cause she was afraid everyday he could burn down his kitchen without her. I would have called her overprotective if I hadn't known he already did twice.

My family luckily didn't need such observation. The only one I had to worry about was my pubescent little teenager brother, who was driving my parents regularly insane and who was on the best way to be arrested in the house for a long, long time. There's not much to say about that, even this little idiot had to go through this exhausting time in teenager life. Though, I felt extremely sorry for my parents. This boy was the devil.

But I already moved together with Ichiko and Suzume one year ago, so I was lucky to say I didn't have to handle this kind of problems anymore. Thank good my parents didn't knew about my little adventure at the age of fourteen. Compared to that, my brother was more than a good boy. I mean, I followed a completely, energy throwing stranger...jumped from a ferries wheel...and got in contact with a weirdo with long hair who wanted to catch me inside a crystal...yeah and so on. If they had known, it would have been impossible to move into an own flat. But yeah, a good point about that was not being forced to share a room with Chikara any longer. Because since he was twelve he started to annoy anyone around him and I wanted to push this little asshole down the stairs more than once.

Nonetheless it has to be said he was kind of afraid of me sometimes. Not because I could have hurt him - nice joke, he was now taller then me - but after he realised I've already been able to see the islands _before _the "Heaven Crisis", how the appearance of the islands was friendly called by some people, he was a bit attentive towards me. Nothing bad, because now he was only praying pranks on my parents and not on me anymore.

Sighing and close to death by boredom, my head met the table. I forced myself through the second - and luckily last - lesson with Kurugi today and exceptionally ignored the fact he was telling the topic so desperately you could feel even a bit sorry for him. But yeah, he hated everything about the Heavens, so it was understandable he was pissed when telling us the special characteristics about the flying continents. Not, that there was a lot to tell. Yeah, we knew some names - three out of fife, that's pretty sad - and that was nearly everything. The reason for this poor information? Only thinking about it gave me a stupid headache and I wanted to beat somebody's head with the book I was using as pillow.

A paper ball hit my head, stopped my violent thoughts and I gave the bunch of idiots in the last line a tired look. Silent laugh started and Ichiko made the impression she was able to kill immediately. Frowning I put the blank paper into my pocket and placed my head back on the table, unimpressed by the now louder giggling of the three idiots and their even more stupid female neighbours. If you hear this laughing everyday you get used to it pretty fast. Or better you learn to ignore it. Anyway it was just a joke, lots of students made, when I was close to sleep again, so sometimes it was pretty helpful.

On campus it was general known I preferred dreaming to listening. For most of the people nothing more than a bad habit, as uninteresting as being addicted to nicotine or chewing gum. Only for this three want to be machos, a constant reason to go on my nerves. Different from Ichiko I could only chuckle about this stupid behaviour, because for me it didn't matter. As long as I had Ichiko and Suzume such idiots were nothing more than this. Idiots. And I guess it's possible to lose the status as weirdo after some years, but the memory rests in people's heads - and some of our classmates had been on our high school too.

But anyway - I yawned and tried to hold my eyes open - I got used to the feeling not to fit in. A circumstance which didn't change since kinder garden, so I accepted it long ago. Like I said, I had Ichiko and Suzume, I didn't need anything else. Okay, there might be one tiny thing, but watching the news made clear it wasn't that realistic at the moment.

Tired and more than annoyed by Kurugi I played again head meets table, misused the book again und stared at the wall next to me. Nice colour, this grey.

_Under my body was nothing more than a sea of clouds. Two strong arms around me, protective and saving me from falling down and ending as a pancake. The smell of a fresh breeze and whispering leafs deep in forests hugged me and made me even more tired. Red hair was flying in my view, a red coat touched me legs. I bowed my neck, expected the mysterious look in two golden eyes...and fell. I screamed, searched for him in the vanishing blue sky and found nothing. Panic gripped my heart._

„HIDAKA! HOW DO YOU DARE TO FALL ASLEEP DURING CLASS?!"

„Munto!"

„Sorry!?"

I blinked, my heart still racing.

„I…", stammering and completely confused I realised the laugher of my classmates, Suzume's giggling, 'cause she knew what I meant and next to her Ichiko's desperate face. Obviously she decided to see me as hopeless case now.

The baldie was standing on his desk, face read and a big vain on his forehead. He should go to a doctor with that thing, it looked not good.

"What did you say, Hidaka? Repeat it", Ou, ou, he sounded more than angry, "Was that an insult?"

No, but the name of the magical idiot, hunting my thoughts for five years now and obviously wants to visit my dreams from now on too. Whether Kurugi would throw me out of class, after explaining I said the name of the mystical king of the Magical Kingdome, who's whereabouts are unknown since a year? Better if I didn't try.

„Eh...of course not...I said...eh... elbow. I hit my elbow at the desk. I'm alright Sir, you can continue."

"Oh, I may continue?" Is he numb or something? I definitely said can. Man, I hate this guy.

„Of course I will. So Miss, Hidaka, if you're so enthusiastic about my lesson, I'm sure you can answer all my questions." I'm dead.

"Eh...of course, Sir."

I looked around a bit helpless and saw only Suzumes amused smile. Traitor.

„So, Miss Hidaka, how many continents do we find in the Heavens?"

Bye, bye worry, welcome amusement. This guy wanted to beat me with questions about the Heavens? Though this was Biology? Suddenly I had problems to hold back a smile.

"Fife", I answered immediately and had to grin cheeky, what made him look shocked. Obviously he had expected me to be completely frozen and intimidated. But he wouldn't be our beloved baldie, if he'd let me go so easy.

"Who was the ambassador, representing the Heavens the first time fife years ago?"

"Lady Ryuely. Magical Kingdom, first female consultant of the king."

"What's the Name of the continent connected directly with ours?!"

"Magical Kingdom."

"What are the other two called?!"

"Well in fact there are fife but we know Hoolgooze and Ender."

"What happened there before the Heaven Crisis!?"

"War. Between the Magical Kingdom and the other two, who built together the so called United Army."

"What was the reason for this war?!"

Maybe just my imagination, but was he screaming at me?

And well, in fact the circumstances, that the Magical Kingdome, full of mages, used most of the almighty power - compared to that our modern military bombs were ridiculous - and the Akuto vanished at the same time because of a broken connection between both worlds. But this was an information I probably shouldn't tell a vindictive professor - and besides as far as I knew the existence of Akuto was unknown so far, as well as the fighting style of the Heaven people - I used the official version.

„Conflicts between the different kingdoms, escalating because of a misunderstanding."

This vain on his forehead _had _to be looked at by a doctor!

With big eyes and open mouth I was stared at from everywhere and in the last line, my favourite idiots seemed to have problems breathing. Or thinking, but that was nothing new. I guess they were a bit shocked because I survived Kurugis "Bombing". But I've already been suspecting for a while, that most of them only failed, because they were too afraid of Kurugis chalk and not because of the questions.

The professor now looked very, very unhealthy with pale skin and shaking legs and so it wasn't surprising he sat on his chair in silence. Should I be worried now?

"You may go.", he just cawed, "The lectureship is over for today."

Cheering from anybody and the poor Kurugi looked like his world has been crashed a second time this century...Was that my fault?

Ichiko only put her face in her hands, mumbled something that was probably pretty mean and confirmed my suspecting she wanted to kill me one day. Suzume instead had problems not to fall from her chair while laughing.

A bit embarrassed I packed my stuff together, just heard the thanks on one ear and finally had to by saved out of a crowd of students by Ichiko. I grinned at her instead of saying thanks and became an annoyed look as answer.

"You're hopeless."

That really wasn't something new anymore.

I have to say my life is okay. Boring sometimes, yeah. But there was worse. I had my friends and my future didn't seem so horrible like a thought as child. But anyway, when I looked into the sky the next time, I wasn't in the mood to smile. A strange feeling made me gulp and made it hard to breath.

He was going to show up soon, wasn't he? I got tired of being worried if he was okay and still alive. This bigheaded king. I still had to hit him for just leaving. And if he forgot me than bloody hell, that wouldn't end well for him.

He told me to take care of his world. And I might not go back until he was here again. So he couldn't just forget me.

The quiet whispering in the corridor announced our valuable campus queen. Amelia O'Conner was strutting with sparkling blue eyes across the hallway, blowing blond hair and a bunch of admirer behind her.

"Did you hear?"

We walked through the other students and the low voice was so shy I had problems to understand it.

"Today's a meeting again. Lots of respectable politicians. Ambassadors from Europe and America!"

"Really? Why that?"

"Heaven Crisis of course. New ideas, new plans and so on."

The two girls entered a classroom and their conversation stopped. Why was everything always this complicated? They didn't even try to change something! They were still afraid of the Heavens. By the way that's the topic, making me so angry earlier, before meeting the paper ball.

The completely world population was a big bunch of ignorant fools - well most of them. Don't get me wrong, there had been people trying. High politicians from all over the world, ready to enter an unknown world. They saw it - if not still thinking it was a joke - as a possibility. For money and all this politicians care about. They came to our city, hundreds, thousands of them, using tricks and connections to be the first one up there. Finally, there had only been a half dozen people in the Heavens, except me.

Because lately after the appearance of the ambassador from Heavens things...went wrong. Lady Ryuely...how to say...surprised everybody. Well shocked and scared fits better, though she didn't really do anything. But only to see her ears and to hear about her special power as an oracle made clear she was different. And so something had to be wrong with the Heaven people. What exactly? No idea, but nobody cared. They were different and scary, that was the point. Consequently people were unable to trust them, connections broke, and nobody wanted to work together with them anymore.

Humanity was afraid. Afraid of what was up there, of what they didn't know. If this world had been existing all the time, why did nobody see it? If these people up there weren't human, what were they instead? Lots of questions and nobody had the answer. The surprise turned into distrust, distrust became fear. And out from fear came rejection. If these heavenly beings had so much power, how long would it take until they'll attack the Lower World? Oh Lord - who churches also asked about because, well, somehow heaven seemed to be occupied - please save us from this devil, it said in the end.

Biggest nonsense I've ever heard. The Heaven people were done fighting. Well, I didn't know about the other continents, but the Magical Kingdom definitely was. Their king disappeared, nobody knew when he'd return. Their world nearly fell. They had better things to do, than thinking about enslaving humanity. But politicians are always right of course. Meanwhile I was asking myself how on earth these idiots got their positions. Just because they didn't know the other world and couldn't keep it under control, they were already afraid of being blown away. (I was still praying nobody would find out it was theoretically possible to do exactly that, but I wouldn't tell this in close future.)

The easy logic of humanity. You don't know something, so it might be stronger than you. Consequence: Attention danger.

It has been Muntos wish to bring our worlds together. He would've died for it. But how would the king react if he'd find out, what happened with his world? If he'd see how everything went out of control? If he could see...

"Hey! Yumemi! Hurry up."

...how people were close again to start a war?...


	4. Unseen

**Heyo, next chapter^^**

it's pretty short I know but the next ones are going to be longer - and it will take a while until I uploade again, because if I keep going like this, the chaps I've already written would be used up in a week or less. But I give you this one anyway, because now the second main character (no surprise who) appears. And you should now, Yumemis little brother is going to play an important role later, too, but you'll read it then;)

Enjoy reading! Selfa:3

_Update 27.04: OMG just realized I put chapter one and two together as one at first o.O so sorry for this! Had problems with the uploading system like I told you._. but know everything should be correct, so I hope so much it won't happen again :D:o_

...

** Chapter three: UNSEEN**

Soundless he touched the bottom. The green plants were still wet from last rain and swung slowly in the cool night air. Cold wind blew through the garden und let the old swing set swing from side to side with a little voice. Attentive his golden eyes wandered through the dark, over the house, up to the window. There was no light inside the house, the night, full of stars, was quiet.

Slowly he walked over to the window. There was an unknown storm inside him. Why was he here? She should be over the clouds, back in his land. They were without him long enough. Much too long. How was his kingdom? Did it change or not? Was it right to leave or made it everything worse? So many things pulled him back into the Heavens but anyway he was here now in a little garden, without knowing the reason for it. Okay that was wrong, he knew why. He just didn't understand it at all.

Silently he lifted off the grass, flew upwards and opened the window. Noiseless he landed on the wooden floor, an invisible wind moving his hair. It was odd but his heart was beating fast against his chest. He had to go. And anyway he was here now, pulled by the desire to see if she was okay. Fine and healthy. If she had the life she always wanted. If he was sure about that, than he'd go. Immediately. He wasn't planning appearing in her life again. He did so enough. She should have a life like everybody else. After all he brought her in danger. Too often. But nonetheless he had to know how her life became. And decided a few seconds later he became insane. What was he doing her? Did he become crazy?

But and that was really scary, his legs moved without permission. It felt like nothing changed in this room. Nothing. Everything stayed the same. Carefully, he moved his hand to the blanket, like fife years ago. An unknown heat in his fingertips. His heart was pumping so hard it was painful, the strange feeling in his chest was burning. He moved the blanket away.

The bed was empty and he felt like a stupid stalker.

Confused he focused the material in his hand let it go and went few steps back, touching his forehead. What was he doing here? Inside a strange house? Okay, it wasn't strange to him, but hell, he wasn't allowed to be here. He swore to himself not to join her life again. He promised she'd have a normal life. Without supernatural conflicts and wars. So it wasn't a good idea to visit her at night and being angry about her not being here.

He shook his head, turned, watched the floor and massaged his temples. He should disappear immediately before he met one of the other humans in this house.

„Hey man, if you are looking for my sister, she luckily moved out a long while ago. Then, there's still the question, if you've got a watch and if you understand you may not just walk into somebody's house. And how the hell did you get in here without me realising it? Even I didn't manage that yet!"

Surprised he turned around quickly, already putting his handy into fists, until he remembered, that is was a bad idea to attack a human. Especially one living in her house.

"Hello? Able to speak?"

The boy in front of him, probably not grown-up yet, raised his eyebrows, obviously waiting and leaned on a strange object made of wood. There was a grip and it was half as long as his body, but not sharp at all. No spear, so what was it? Was this kid threatening him?

"What? Never seen a baseball bat before?"

Base…ball? His face seemed to show his confusion because the boy slapped a hand on his forehead.

"Why is it always me getting in this weird situations?...Okay, man, be happy my parents had to go to dinner without me once again or you'd have a big problem. Well...doesn't matter. Who are and what are you guy doing next to my big sisters bed? You know that makes a suspicious impression, right?"

Big sister?

"Where is she?", he asked ignoring the boys words and didn't realise it made him looking even more suspicious. Instead the boy watched him more precisely now and he was thinking about his possibilities to disappear.

"And I should tell you this information, because...? Are you her stalker or something? She never mentioned one." Well, somehow the boy wasn't that wrong. He closed his eyes, allowed himself a quiet sigh and made an inner notice he shouldn't argue with humans, and definitely not with her little brother.

„Munto.", he said finally, getting immediately an asking gaze back.

„What?"

"My name. For you it's Lord Munto."

"Okaaay...", he mumbled before whispering to himself, "A megalomaniac stalker. Well done, sis." Then the teenager took a closer look.

"Hey…how are you doing this with your hair by the way? Where's the wind coming from?"

Now the king was confused und looked up to his hair sceptically.

"What do you mean...?"

"Wait a sec."

Suddenly the boy came determined into his direction, this wood thing over his shoulder and pressing together his eyes. He needed a while to realise the boy was staring at his ears.

"You...come from up there, don't you?" Up there had obviously to be the Heavens.

"And if I do so?"

To be honest, this boy was getting on his nerves. Actually he should have already been gone and now discussing with a pubescent little brother was irritating.

"Are you going to tell me now where she is or not?"

"She? Oh, Yumemi, yeah she moved out. Two years ago I think. Lives together with her weird friends and goes to college. Why? Do you want to still stalk ..."

He ignored the rest. So she'd been long gone. Anyway he could perceive her smell. It hung around everywhere. Because of some reason his throat felt suddenly dry. Now she had her normal life.

Without a word he was passing by the boy und went down the stair. He wasn't interested in the furniture and the decorations - special ones he'd never seen - only a little number of photos jumped into his eyes.

A tiny smile on his lips, when he faced two sparkling green eyes. So she'd been able to forget him. Finally. Why did he hope she wouldn't? No idea. But after all she was safe and he could return, knowing nobody was still trying to kill her. One progress at least.

"Hey! Wait. I wanna know how you got in here! You have to tell me, I hate it when my parents find out!"

"Window.", he just said and headed for the garden. Then he stopped in front of a glass door, not really sure what to do. There was no door handle. Was it broke or something? He frowned and touched the pane.

"Is there something wrong with our...oh fuck!"

A little explosion. Unimpressed he walked over the broken glass, leaving a staring Hidaka Chikara behind.

"Damn...mum will definitely kill me...I could have opened the door, you know?!"

He cleared his throat. "Well so...hey wait! I wanted to ask you if you know why we're not allowed to go up."

He stopped instantly.

"What does that mean? You aren't allowed to?"

"Yeah what I said,", the boy watched him with a confused look, "Somehow everybody is panicking if anybody wants to enter the Heavens. Dangerous and stuff. They say if it's going to continue like that, we'll end up starting a war and..."

He didn't care for the rest but was already shooting through the clouds.

"HEY! YOU CAN'T JUST FUCK OF LIKE THAT! HELLO!? I'M TALKING TO YOU!...wait...DAMN YOU'RE FLYING!?"

War? Between the Heavens and the Lower World? A damn war again? He groaned, made fists and broke through the cloud cover. He'd been away just a year and what did these idiots do? He walked around midnight into a girl's bedroom and might discuss with her little brother just to get to know the howl action was made for nothing? Only fife years and they had to start a war again?!

...

Characters appearing in this chapter in person:

(Lord) Munto

Hidaka Chikara

**RedWingedAngel002: ** I'm happy you liked it! It's great to hear^^ so thank you very much for the first Review, it's an incentive to keep going :-) I'm sorry for the mistakes and I will be more careful in the next chapters! Hope you'll keep on reading and reviewing.


	5. How to handle businessmen

Welcome back and much fun with the following chap^^

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Chapter four: HOW TO HANDLE BUISSNESSMEN

More shuffling than walking, I followed Suzume and Ichiko into the city the next day and evaded nearly mechanic the huge crowds like everybody get used to after living in a Japanese town for more then a year. It took one hour from our flat but only twenty from college into the city centre - the part surrounded by white dust and being placed about hundred meters higher than mother nature had planned. Gigantic gondolas brought us up there and made Ichiko suffer every other day, until her face turned into an unhealthy colour. High and swinging objects weren't her thing at all. Ships were even worse. Poor one. Who would have thought there was something driving the big Ichiko mad? Except of me of course.

I had to challenge Kurugi again, but today he ignored me completely. Okay it was more like he was afraid of me, because his skin turned pale every time I wanted to ask a question. Weird baldie. Understand scientists.

„Kazuya, Kazuya, finally I see Kazuya." Everybody else would have been trying to remember Suzume she wasn't a little girl anymore, adoring a film star. I could only chuckle about it and tried to calm Ichiko down, cause besides her problem with the gondolas, she seemed close to try strangling our little friend. But no. It was so sweet. Scary for a 18 year old, but still sweet. And we were talking about Suzume after all. And come one, after a while, everybody declared our trio insane.

Ichiko usually tramping around like a furious rhino, Suzume, who obviously got lost somewhere in childhood while living in the body of a supermodel and me, able to be so dreamy I handled running against a wall more than once. Grinning about myself, I watched Suzume walking around in her singular hopping walk through the streets and heading for one of the big skyscrapers.

Welcome to the Takamori Cooperation, one of the less businesses, not declaring the Heavens as our enemy and conducted by a pretty young CEO, who regularly made himself a fool out for my little friend.

„Hidaka-san, Ono-san, Suzume-chan!"

"Euphiee!" Suzume nearly flew into the receptionist's arms, what brought her some disturbed looks from the lobby. Ichiko only watched whining and massaged her forehead, mumbling something that sounded suspiciously like: "On day, I'll put her in chains." The gondola trip obviously didn't improve her mood.

I only smiled and nodded into Euphemia's direction. The employees already knew us. The majority loved us, the rest thought we were some crazy pack of terrorists, but seemed to like us anyway. Aren't they nice?

The only ones, who were honestly annoyed by us sometimes - or more by Suzume - where Kazuyas business partners, because she loved jumping into meetings just to give Kazuya a hug. No joke, she really did that. But somehow she, and more important Kazuyas image, survived until now, probably just because Kazuyas business was so important as partner, nobody dared to question his relationship. And as long as they stayed polite that was enough.

„Euphiee…where's Kazuya?", meanwhile Suzume was cuddling Euphiee's arm like a kitten. Everybody else would run away instantly. The tall blond women however had problems not to hug her to death. Because if she did that, Kazuya would probably fire her immediately, though she was one of his best employees. But so or so, I sometimes got the impression this guy would even kick out the emperor of China, if he'd only give Suzume a wrong gaze. Well, my friend was incredibly cute. Or more extremely sexy, but Ichiko would shoot me, if I'd speak that out loud.

Euphiee on the other hand adored cute things. As evidence she was wearing her favourite colour today. Pink. Pink blouse, pink skirt, pink pumps. But since the women would look charming even in a potato sack, nobody - except of the slobbering gentlemen in the entrance hall - cared about her special clothing.

"Upstairs, darling", Euphiee whistled, hands on her cheeks and Ichiko apparently did a sign of the cross. „I'll inform him right away you're here. But in a few minutes a really important meeting is going to start so it would be better for you to wait." Suzume pouted and her eyes became glassy. Though, I was sure to discover a sneaky sparkle.

"But I want to see him now.", she mumbled in a heart breaking voice, having tears in her eyes. Euphiee made the impression to get a heart attack soon.

"Okay, okay, sweetie, it's all right. The big conference room on floor 26, okay? Don't cry, please don't cry.", she said with this special voice receptionists had and Suzume was suddenly shining like a Christmas tree.

"Euphiee, you're the best."

"Yeah, you're probably right.

I only shook my head and headed, followed by Ichiko, towards the elevators, while Eupiee and Suzume performed their typical dramatic good bye ceremony again, because of which you could think one of them would vanish in a second. Then our sweet friend joined us, fixed her hair and grinned like sneaky leprechaun.

"So~on I'll se Ka~zuya.", she warbled happily and Ichiko groaned.

"Suzume, do you always have to do that?"

"Sure.", Suzume laughed only and grinned shamelessly. Amused I raised an eyebrow.

"If I'd tried on normal way, we had to stand in line for hours.", she defended herself, as if that were a completely acceptable fact. I had problems not to laugh, because Ichiko made the impression to explode soon.

Suzume only grinned gloatingly. This sneaky little beast. Maybe she acted childish. But it wasn't just me, who'd been assuming for a while now, that behind these innocent sparkling eyes, an intellect was hidden able to shock whole Japan.

Okay, I'm overdoing, but I wasn't completely blind to the behaviour of my best friend. So I only shook my head and pressed the push-button at one of the six elevators. Ichiko meanwhile tried to get her breath under control, while our elevator took it's time.

Especially Suzume didn't like that. Because a few seconds later, she ran with "See you upstairs." towards another elevator, already crowded. And usually everybody else would have accepted it was overfilled and waited for another one. But Suzume was not everybody else. Instead of accepting her destiny to wait another thirty seconds, she only moved her lower lip forward, crossed her hands in front of her belly and focused an older businessman in the crowd through her lashes.

That was Mr. Onora by the way, one of Kazuyas oldest financial advisors, who definitely knew Suzume. As evidence he straightened his shoulders and gave my friend a strict look. Her lip started shaking. With a loud sign - causing Ichiko to hammer her already aching head against the elevator door - he moved his briefcase between the doors, left the carbine and beckoned Suzume in.

"Imamoru-san. Please don't destroy anything."

Suzume let hear a happy scream, jumped into the arms of the around sixty years old man and flit between the other waiting business people - watching her with amusement, surprise or panic. The doors closed and I held back a big smile, before pushing Ichiko in our arriving elevator.

"This little monster.", she hissed and hold her know ringing head, "We should lock her away."

"Maybe. But she's just out of our league."

"Would you be surprised if this woman would lead the Japanese mafia one day?"

"Honestly?", I watched the other now moving elevator again and laughed, "Not at all, but the poor mafia."

In the entrance hall, Euphiee made a plaintive sound, that made Ichiko finally explode, because her head met the wall once again.

"And holy crap, somebody buy this woman a kitten. Preferably a pink one!"

The 26th floor was huge. But the whole building was huge, so you got used to it after a while. Other than expected, we didn't met Suzume when we arrived in front of the big conference room(logical, her elevator had been full so it had to hold more often, but apparently she didn't think about that) but a group of grumpy and concurrently exotic locking men, talking mostly in English, so it seemed to be a more important meeting than usual. It was rather scary how they synchronous lifted their heads to give us terrifying looks.

A bit helpless, I watched Ichiko, but she was still fighting with her headache.

While the value lady let me alone, I returned a bit intimidated their dark gazes and straightened my shoulders then. Hello, I survived Kurugi regularly. So I didn't have to be afraid of some stretchy businessmen. I had to admit, though, they were almost disturbing, because all of them were at least a head taller than me and the majority matched the shape of a wardrobe. So I felt a tiny bit small compared to them.

I got a goose, when one man with black hair and green blue eyes focused me. His eyes were hard, the glasses made them look even darker and somehow my skin felt cold. Suddenly the voices got louder in my ears. A hectically confused rush, as if the wanted to warn me. I faced his look. A few seconds. Then the air around me got back to normal temperature and a low breeze from an open door blew my hair in front of my eyes. I lifted it away but when I could see again, the man was already talking to his neighbour. Afterwards, the group walked into the conference hall. Air came back to my throat and this strange feeling disappeared.

Pretty much confused, I wondered if I went back to time, when my brain was playing pranks on me, rubbed my forehead and declared the situation as odd and unimportant. It was cold outside and I suffered from urgent food shortage, because my appetite got lost after spending an hour with Kurugi, so my sandwich had been stolen by Ichiko. And besides Ichiko was as exhausted as always, so everything was normal.

Destiny told me again after this tough, my life wasn't normal at all. Around three meters on the left one of the elevator doors opened and Suzume walked out, smooth and gracefully like a lioness - again one of these moments I wasn't sure if it was better to run or to stare. Two seconds later, another door opened on my right and Takamori Kazuya in person honoured us with his presence. Head raised and self confident like the perfect businessman. With impenetrable and emotionless expression he made the impression words like "smile" and "happiness" were nonexistent is his vocabulary. Well, at least until he saw Suzume. Or she saw him, I'm never so sure about that. The complete elegance - if it hadn't been just my imagination - vanished; the small girl jumped towards Kazuya, knocked him down and threw her "husband" on the probably quite expensive carpet.

Ichiko, meanwhile, was cursing all gods she knew. Kazuyas face changed from "businessman" to "teenager-still-in-love" and obviously it didn't bother him to make his quiet expensive suit dirty on the dusty floor at all. Though that was probably not right, because Kazuyas cleaning crew was hunting dust as desperately as Kurugi was searching for cheat sheets. Instead he only touched Suzumes hair and gave her a long kiss on her lips. She was nearly as tall as him nowadays but she stopped giggling immediately and smiled so brightly instead, the sun might be jealous. Kazuya answered her smile with such a devotion you could get envious. But because I didn't want to wait until somebody came and stared at them - though we were talking about Suzume and Kazuya, who wouldn't even care if complete Japan was staring - I touched Ichiko's shoulder. She gave me a withering look that made me only grin.

Earlier, what means, until Suzume had been 16, the two didn't do more than holding hands and smiling amorous - or to be more precise, Kazuya forced himself to keep his hands with him, until his girl friend at least looked like a young women. Meantime and right now too, they weren't able to leave each other alone, reason for Ichiko to freak out regularly. And probably she was the only reason the two didn't get problems with justice yet, because kissing in public still wasn't so happily seen in Japan.

"Your turn, Ichiko, Kazuya has a meeting."

I didn't have to say that twice. She rolled up the arms of her jacket and raged through the hallway like an angry bull. With a power I still questioned where it came from she gripped both on her necks and pulled them apart. Suzume made an unconfident noise und stretched her arms into Kazuyas direction, who at least kept his pride and only focused Ichiko with a peeved expression.

"Finished?", Ichiko only asked dry and put Suzume back on her feet. Kazuya was still half a head taller than her consequently she hadn't been able to lift him up and only fixed his suit now.

"I don't want to disturb you..."

"You do.", Suzume hissed and crossed her arms in front of her chest - which has also been growing by the way.

"But Kazuya...", Ichiko simply continued and pet Suzumes head, "It's always nice to see how much you adore her, but you have a job, you know? And these guys didn't look like there were in a good mood."

"More, that they are as stiff as a poker. Or have a stick up there asses.", I agreed. Don't ask me, when I started to use such words. Not my best habit, but that's the consequence of living together with Ichiko during her period.

"And that's why I'm now going to kidnap your girl right know.", Ichiko moved her elbow under Suzumes and grinned at Kazuya, "So you can concentrate on your work."

Kazuya sighed once before he smiled and freed Suzume easily from Ichiko's grip. Her face lighted up instantly.

"Unfortunately you are right." He put his arm around Suzumes shoulder and told us with a quick move of his head to follow him.

"These gentlemen are ambassadors from Europe and America and like Yumemi already said, all of them have a sticks up their asses.", he informed us laughing, while Ichiko fired dark looks like a pro. Reproachful, I bumped my elbow in his side and tried not to laugh.

Somehow it was always the same procedure. Suzume used Euphiee to find Kazuya, as soon as she saw him he knocked him down and both of them played lovely couple until Ichiko boiled over. Fortunately the CEO of these building possessed at least enough discretion not to receive the kisses in public. And when I thought about these weird ambassadors I was more than lucky, Kazuya only joined us after they already left the hallway. Because in the end it was something different with international ambassadors than with Japanese businessmen, who'd already been informed about Kazuyas vivid girlfriend. Watching Suzume only told me, she wouldn't even care if we had world under. As long as she was with Kazuya this girl was so full of joy, Ichiko regularly predicted one day she'd suffocate from all this romantic. Though Ichiko was the only person I could imagine she was able to do so.

This woman was absolutely allergic on everything romantic, so she was feared and loved on campus at the same time. Feared, because she would kick everybody's ass who'd dare get close to her and honestly chase him to hell and loved because some students saw her as an untouchable beauty, ready to be conquered. Well, the guy who conquered Ichiko had to handle a human rhino. But a lovely one. My thoughts rushed back from Campus and Ichiko to this meeting and suddenly some phrases came into my mind.

"Today's a meeting again. Lots of respectable politicians. Ambassadors from Europe and America!"

"Really? Why that?"

"Heaven crisis of course. New ideas, new plans and so on."

I focused Kazuya's back of the head. Nice coincidence I have to say. But hey, if you think about it, destiny obviously loves throwing coincidences after me even I didn't expect, so it was understandable I felt a bit unwell. Kazuya lead us to the conference hall but stopped before the door. It was made of glass so you could see through. Kazuya seemed to get himself an overview about the situation inside.

When he looked back at us, his face was again one of a businessman. But I could see the worry behind it. Suzume took his hand, and he smiled lightly. He put a short kiss on her forehead and pulled her next to him then. I changed a look with Ichiko. Kazuya usually was doing this stuff, but this time, he seemed more tensed.

„These guys unfortunately don't only have sticks up their asses, they are big bugs. And this meeting isn't normal. Yumemi?"

I blinked, confused.

"What is it?"

"Technically you're not allowed to join this meeting. It's about some things not only important for Japan. But that's why I think you should do so."

What was he babbling about?

"What do you want?"

"It's about the Heavens, Yumemi. And it's important."

Immediately, I froze. And welcome the scary coincidence. Kazuya knew about my little adventure in the Heavens - because we didn't want Suzume to lie to him - but no details. He didn't know about _Akuto_ or Munto or about my position in this story, only, I'd been there once by accident. He never asked for more, what still wondered me. Everybody would have been curious in his place, but maybe the reason was Suzume asking him so. This man would even put the world at her feet if she'd only ask.

"What is it about?", I asked with lightly shaking voice and forced myself to stay calm.

"You'll see, it would take to long to explain now. Usually there are secretaries with me, but one of them doesn't feel well today, so you can jump in. Nobody knows him or you - except of the second employee of mine, but he will not ask. But I beg you urgent, Yumemi, just stay quiet and write something on your block." He gave me said, "Maybe you'll stand out because your clothes aren't business like, but who cares."

I watched my out outfit and hated myself for not wearing something more stylish or chic. I felt pretty dumb in jeans, sweatshirt and boots, but at least our college didn't request a uniform. Then this action would have been nonsense.

With a beating heart I clasped the block in my hands and looked at Kazuyas face.

"Thanks.", I only mumbled, still trying to understand what happened currently, "Hell, thank you, Kazuya."

I wasn't a completely fool. Everybody knew about the conflicts between the Heavens and the Lower World. And if there was a meeting with such a number of high politicians in the town with the gate, that meant something. God knows whether something good or bad.

„Is that really okay?" I asked once again, because I felt uncomfortable. Kazuya could get in deep trouble because of me and I didn't want that. But the young man only shook his had and gave Suzume a short kiss.

"I don't know the details - and had no problem, if you could clear me up soon." He gave me a meaningful look. "But I know it's important to you." Then he scratched his head and was suddenly pretty embarrassed. "And Suzume was begging me to tell you what's happening. This way you can hear it live."

Yeah that seemed more logical to me. Kazuya had never been able to deny a request from Suzume, no matter how crazy it might be. Never.

Suzume was grinning like a Cheshire cat and I was close to fell round her neck. But Kazuya already headed towards the glass door so I only gave her a bright smile, swearing to myself to read every wish from these lips and followed him.

My exhilaration went up in smoke fast after entering the room. The door closed behind me and inside the room was a frozen atmosphere. The looks of all ambassadors drilled inside my skin like spikes. There was something in the air and now I knew, why Kazuya was so stressed. It felt like the air was too hard to breath and if this was the usual mood at meetings then I'd never go into business.

Kazuya sat down at the head of the table, me next to him, but I acted a bit clumsy. After I placed the block on the table I looked around and ignored the gaze from green blue eyes on purpose. Instead I focused on the only other woman in here.

It was a curvy but slim blond in her twenties, looking much more elegant than I felt at the moment. The blue eyes flashed intelligent behind thin glasses and in contrast to all the black smokings her lipstick shined dark red.

She seemed not an easy woman to deal with, because, when she realised I was watching her, she made the impression as if she wanted to scratch my eyes out with her long red nails. Only an elderly grey-haired man next to her at least one and a half heads taller than her, gave me a friendly and encouraging smile. A bit as he knew how uncomfortable I felt. I forced a smile and discovered unexpected intelligence behind the light eyes.

Kazuya seemed to be ready now, because he stopped sorting out the folders in front of him and raised his head. Now he was the strict, intransigent businessman and for the first time I understood how he was so successful. He could look rather daunting and terrifying if he wanted. Luckily I met him after his bully time, because what I saw now was probably less scary like his presence back than (though not less intimidating).

„Ladies and gentlemen, welcome in Japan."

Holy shit, he spoke English! Great! Now he tells me?! My head was spinning and I tried then to switch into the other language. Surprisingly it worked pretty well. I had to thank Ichiko for forcing me into the lecture-ships, thank god.

"My name is Takamori Kazuya like you probably know and it's a pleasure to welcome you here in our city. Protocol is written by Takumi Kaito..." the man on his right nodded once with an emotionless expression before giving me a short and a bit confused look. Shit. As Kazuyas employee he knew I didn't work here of course. Hopefully he really stayed silent.

"…And my personal secretary, Hidaka Yumemi, today."

Suddenly I felt watched and was still able to hold back a helpless look into Kazuyas direction. I should write the protocol? Heaven helps, that was going to be something. I forced myself to a strained smile and nodded fast, but fortunately most of them already lost interest in me. Thank god, Kazuya opened his mouth again.

"You all know why we are here today."

I guess "all" except me.

"We have to find a solution for the Earth how to behave in this situation. Half hearted negotiations are unacceptable. People need clear guidelines. The current situation is strained and our people are confused. We know to less to give a precise statement." Ah thanks.

He studied all presents and expected answers. He got sceptical, nearly hostile and also completely uncaring looks. Surprisingly the woman was the first one answering. Her voice was soft but with a lurking undertone.

"Europe agrees there's an unknown risk coming from the Heavens.", she began and I had problems to understand her. She swallowed some letters in such a crazy way my mind was already spinning after a few words. But even I realized the French accent, though I've never heard the language before.

„The ambassadress back than wasn't human, though she looked like it. She herself was talking about "magic" and an "almighty power surrounding us everywhere". We think that's nonsense."

The man next to me interrupted her. His expression was hart and folds were digging into his skin, though he could be only forty years old.

"The United States agree. We only see two possibilities. The first: The population up there is humanlike but our scientist came to the presumption there might have been a mutation, causing the special ear shape and so we can't exclude other mutations in their DNA. Second one: There's something completely different we should concentrate on. This theory says, this talk about magic and these extraordinary abilities are only lies to cover a bigger power. Maybe a weapon or something, we're still not sure about that."

"Canada agrees to." A relative young man on the other side of the table raised his voice and I needed again a few seconds to understand his English. But his accent was so horrible I could only hear "mutation" and "conspiracy".

Other ambassadors told her points of view, but to be honest I wasn't listening any longer. Absentminded I painted some words on my block to have something to do and tried somehow to switch beyond all these accents. I've already got a headache and didn't hear a half. Kazuya listened to all theories without a word, but I saw how he pressed his teeth together. He didn't like the development of this meeting at all. Because even with my sparse vocabulary I comprehended their main point: The Heavens were something strange, different and dangerous if they didn't thought of it as "mutation" or expected them to possess a weapon to attack us soon. I suppressed the desire to press my hands on my ears. The very sound of this was abhorrent to me. Did they believe the shit they said?

The Frenchwoman drowned the now hot discussion once again with her weird accent.

„Because of our sparse information we think about sending spies up, so we can..."

"That's hilarious!", Kazuya interrupted immediately, so cold and hostile I winced.

„Human as well as mechanic spies would be an insult and would be precious little help and not promotional at all for the relations! You seem to forget they are also intelligent beings. Maybe they don't fit in our representations but they've got rights too. How can we ask for respect, if we call them _mutations_?" He nearly spewed the last word and my respect towards him grew. Nice catch, Suzume.

"How do we know this beings up there are intelligent?", the woman nearly hissed, but nobody cared about her impolite behaviour. Because Kazuya was alone with his view at the moment. For a second I felt surrounded and didn't want to know how Kazuya had to feel. They watched him like a pack of wolves, claws extended, ready to use every unplanned move of its prey. And with each word they came closer.

"Our ambassadors, who'd been visiting the Heavens were talking about a medieval and nearly primitive culture.", Frenchwomen continued, lips drawn into a victorious smile, "The buildings and the complete infrastructure were destroyed and old, they were polite, but their manners out of date and antiquated. They seemed to be behind our development for years."

My hand convulsed around the pen and it nearly went through the paper. Out of date? Primitive?

Antiquated?! Damn, the Heavens went through a war! A war with so many sacrifices. They nearly _fell_.

Of course they couldn't offer a fife star hotel to welcome the money mad humans from the Lower World. Meanwhile my heart was pounding painfully and my knuckles went white. Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale. Heat grew in my body and announced a wave of hot anger, I could hardly control.

I shouldn't be all surprised if I'd boil over, but that wouldn't help anybody. And then I'd had to explain where I got this information from. And I promised Munto to tell nobody who I was. I would only make it worse. Oh shit, I rarely missed this idiot as much as now. Okay, well, probably he'd only throw an energieball and this wouldn't be helpful at all. If humanity found out, which weapons the Heavens really possessed, all proceedings here would be for nothing. There second theory was somehow real in a way and possible. But the Heavens would never start an attack on the Lower World. Never! They wanted peace only.

Meanwhile I didn't care about the Frenchwoman, looking like she wanted to throttle me, any more. I'd love to do the same. To call the Heavens, _my_ Heavens, my little, secret world as primitive and antiquated…How dare they! Behind our development for years? I saw what had been there before the war and the loss of Akuto. This gigantic, beautiful and royal cities with it's huge and shining houses and buildings. How could someone, who'd been there call this antiquated? Yeah, there were a bit too polite and okay, they lived in a monarchy and her empire was called Magical Kingdom. Who cares? This world was a miracle. A fairy tail, beautiful and unique. And this silly french cow should shut her mouth, as long as she hadn't seen it yet.

Suddenly a cool breeze touched my skin and calmed my racing heart. I felt the Akuto pulsing in the air and closed my eyes appreciative, while the silent whistle in my ears made my pulse becoming slow again. _Stay calm_, they said. _Calm_.

I opened my eyes, looked at Kazuya for a moment and saw how he was still tensed. He faced my look and then I found my self eye to eye with the old man. And he smiled calming, before he suddenly raised his voice.

„_Madame_ Berthoud, we all understand you worry about humanities well-being. After all, it's this worry that brought us here all together.", the mans voice sounded surprisingly smooth and clear and the air didn't feel so heavy anymore. He gave Kazuya an asking look, but he only nodded assenting.

"Please continue, Ukada-san." I didn't know if the others realised, but I could clearly see his relief to have an ally between all this idiots.

"But, Madame Berthoud, I think this world isn't primitive or backward at all. It might be someone who is too cursorily might not realise. And of course it's unfamiliar to us, but like us they have their own culture, following their own development. Look at some cultures in Africa nowadays. Do we convict them? No, we try to understand and to help. I think we should bury the distrust and…"

„Ukada-san, please forgive me I interrupt you, but I am of the opinion, your view is bleared."

Cold crawled over my skin and again it was the gaze out of cold and piercing green eyes, making me neck hair rising. Like a raging ocean, they were glowing through the room, icy blue drops sparkled around his pupils and I felt even colder. The dark hair moved lightly when he stood up. Slowly and cautious he walked behind the chairs.

"You are the first ambassador for the Lower worlds – and it's this honour that gave you a place in this committee. But it's generally known, you were…", he hold back a laugh, "How did they say? Bewitched by this world."

I blinked and focused the older man immediately. This was _Ukada_? Ukada Minato? The first ambassador who'd been up? Up in Heavens? And no matter how mean this other guy might talk about it, he liked the Heavens so he was on my side! Well, more Kazuyas, I didn't have an opinion in here after all, though I got the bad feeling my mouth would act by itself any time soon.

My eyes met the other man again, the one with this scary look. He had something I didn't like. Something devious, something tricky. And when he turned around, a light but mocking and somehow even merciful smile jumped over his face and from one moment to another I decided he wasn't someone I would trust – and I didn't like him.

"Ukada-san, your thinking is out of date and I'm really sorry but I fear, we can't trust your words. All the other ambassadors told us their visits in Heavens had been frightening and strange. Otherwise they have similar opinions like Madame Berthoud. They are a primitive and superstitious and unpredictable. Might be, they are intelligent beings, but we don't know what they are planning. Maybe one day we get a proposal of peace and the other day we are confronted with their secret weapon."

"Where's the proof, there is such a weapon? There had never been a reason for such a suspicion!", Kazuya said loudly and stood up too, "Why are you all so against the Heavens? We barely know something about them. There had never been aggressive actions from their side. So why should we start with?"

„And why should we wait until they decide to begin, Takamori-san?", the man gave a cool smile. Shit, shit, shit. That was going all wrong! They were talking nonsense.

„I think we are all sure now, this beings up there are different to us."

Madame Berthoud nodded like the Canadian and American ambassadors. And short after all the others did so too. The man kept smiling.

„And we realise the risk coming from to much trust, don't we? So we all understand and accept, the Heavens can't be seen as something harmless for humanity. No, it probably should be seen as dangerous and so I say we have to…"

"Stop that.", the third man stood up, Ukada, "We can't let it end like that. We can't just attack another world we hardly know!" The pen in my hand made a dangerous sound.

„This is exactly the problem, Ukada-san.", the man said seriously and turned and cold filled the room again. I heard the Akuto flying in the air. The spirits were restless. They jumped in my head and let me feel tensed.

"We don't know this world.", the tall man smiled and I saw the malicious joy and the certainty of victory. This meeting would end like he wanted it too. And he knew. The pen in my hand cracked again, when he looked over his glasses into the room, as if he had to explain something obvious to children.

„And something we don't know is dangerous.", he ended, moves his glasses up his nose and looked more than confident.

What I did next was stupid. Very stupid. And anyway I couldn't stop it and it felt like, at this moment, something in my mind was activated. Something that made me ignore everything telling me this was a bad idea. I couldn't hold me back. Honestly I couldn't. Images jumped in front of my eyes, followed by silent whisper of Akuto. A blue sky. Beautiful gardens. The warm gaze from golden eyes…like I said, what I did was stupid. Silly and idiotic, but hey, nearly everybody else in this room was, too. And I had always been reckless.

My mother always told me not to use such words but I guess the situation allowed it once.

"Damnit, than we get to know them!"

The pen in my hand broke I throw both parts on the table and jumped up. Anger burned in my veins, hot and merciless and I blew the spirits away, removed them with will and self confidence (didn't matter it wouldn't last so long). Like always the voices came back immediately, but the changed, accepted my mood and started to boil in anger, too.

Absolutely everybody at the table stared at me. The Frenchwoman and the Canadian looked scandalized, the USA's ambassador seemed completely shocked. The man standing in front of the window now watched me with a mixture of amusement and deep distrust, while only Ukada seemed confident. My heart sank into my boots when I realized Kazuya stopped breathing and my decision started to unravel. My eyes moved uncertainly to the glass door and then away immediately. Ichiko and Suzume pressed their noses against the window. Little beads of perspiration formed on my forehead and I watched at Kazuya with a desperate and ruefully look, before I bit my lips anxiously.

„Please forgive my rude sally.", I whispered quietly and already wanted to sit down again, when a warm voice stopped me.

„There is nothing to forgive, Hidaka-san."

Surprised I looked at the old man and probably wasn't the only one with this reaction. Miss Frenchwoman looked like she wanted to escape into the room's corner, as long as she wasn't forced to sit next to him anymore and watched her neighbour like an disgusting insect. The Canadian ambassador seemed to have something against his pen too and if it wasn't to break through soon, he probably wanted to stab it into Ukadas eye.

„Please speak. Everybody at this table should be allowed to give his opinion."

I gave Ukada a thankful look, prayed I didn't get into some deep trouble and took my heart back to its right place – though it was running a marathon meanwhile. I watched Kazuya and hoped he realised my apologizing and asking look. But he only nodded with tensed jaw and seemed to have accepted bringing me here was a bad idea, before he sat back on his armchair.

„You may speak, Yumemi.", he said, still pursing his lips.

Oh my god. I swallowed cramped. I was practically dead when this was over. Madame Berthoud slapped a smile on her face and grinned insidious and the still nameless man pressed his lips together in an expectantly move.

A warm breeze touched my cheek. Slow and comforting as if it wanted to cheer me up. I inhaled once. This might not escalate. I promised Munto to take care of our world and was there a better way than avoiding a war?

Even if I didn't plan taking a walk into an international conference, it's meaning I hadn't realised at first, it had to have a reason. Indeed I didn't believe in something banal like destiny but hey, my ears hurt by hearing what this want to be ambassadors were talking about.

The air left my chest again, the Akuto prickled on my skin and when I spoke my voice was steadier than I expected. And probably this was a good sign.

„I know, I don't have the right to speak in here…", I began with shaking lips and was interrupted immediately:

"Than stop talking, girl!", Madame Berthoud hisses and a strange sparkle grew in her eyes, when I stared at her as devastating as possible. Something between hatred and dislike. In the end it was Kazuyas absolute deadly gaze, making her remain silent and I was incredibly grateful for this company. He, though, probably wanted to bring me to silence, too. Perhaps the only thing he and the other ambassadors were in complete agreement.

„But I can't and don't want to sit here and stay silent, while the world is going to make a horrible mistake. I understand your worries, ladies and gentlemen. Of course you all care for humanities safety. But I don't see how you want to guarantee this safety, if you're acting out of fear of the unknown and…"

„Fear?", I was interrupted by the Canadian ambassador with obvious disgust and snorted, „Who's talking about fear? The facts…"

„You call this facts? You say the Heavens are dangerous and unpredictable. How do you know this? Was there somebody in Heavens since four years? And I mean really _been_ there and not just walking around and being afraid of the new. How many people had been there as ambassadors up to now? Four? Fife? How can we accept all we know came out of the experiences of a few people, also having different opinions?!"

My voice became louder with every sentence, but I only continued, unable to hold it back.

"I say you are afraid! Afraid of what you could find out, afraid these "primitive" and "out of date" beings – and you have no right for this statement, because it's made of assertions of a bunch of old men…", I stopped, "I apologize Ukada-san, this is not against you, I didn't mean it like that." But the man just waved his hand and chuckled, „Just continue, you are good at this."

I took a deep breath again.

„After what I heard the last hour, I think the distrust and sceptical behaviour towards the Heavens were born out of fear. And…stop it Frenchwoman, it's my turn now!" She closed her mouth in disgust.

„You're talking about mutations and conspiracies, secret weapons and smoke and mirror games. Please excuse this form of words, but you're babbling nonsense in here. You said yourselves we hardly know something about the Heavens. Not even the easiest details. We know _too_ _less_. So how can we know, we aren't like them? Or how can we say there are any big differences? Maybe we are more alike than we thought. That's why I'm saying; get to know them! Let's send some other ambassadors, get to know their culture and their lifestyle and…"

„Hidaka-san." My blood froze. The nameless man came back to the table and bended over his chair. "It's really honourable how your are defending the Heavens…", he started again and his voice lulled the businessmen again, "But you're overseeing an important detail. Who in this world would go to the Heavens voluntary? An unknown and maybe dangerous world? How can we take responsibility for forcing someone to take such a risk?"

„When you insist, I can give you some names of persons being ready and really interested in exploring the Heavens! Lots of my fellow students…"

„Hidaka-san, it seems like you are misunderstanding my intentions. I guess I expressed it wrong. We can't send _college students _to another world. One wrong gesture and everything could be ruined. There could be fatal consequences."

„Worse consequences than a war?"

„Hidaka-san…", he said with a warning tone in his voice, „I have veneration for your courage, but I think you are blinded, too. It's known by reliable source the younger generation reacted very positive on the Heaven Crisis, what's absolutely understandable, because for teenagers this might be…"

"Would you kindly shut up and listen to me!?"

I slapped myself inwardly and tried to ignore Kazuya seemed to be close to imitating Ichiko's bad habit of ramming her forehead against a horizontal surface, while Miss Frenchwoman put her hands over her mouth as if I did a big crime. Holy crap, if this was over I needed to rest. And something against a sore throat.

I focused the nameless man with screwed eyes and tried to forget he was an international businessman with more than billion dollars on his bank account, while I was just a college student, hoping to be able to pay the school money.

"First of all, we are no _teenagers_! I'm talking about young adults at the age of twenty or older." (Let's forget I'm only 18, like this it sounded better.) „Might be my generation reacted to the Heavens in a positive way. It this something bad? Obviously your generation hadn't been able to be impartial so did you ever think about that this dourness might have been the reason for all this misunderstandings? Your generation faced the Heavens with distrust and fear instead of openness and interest. So it's obvious, the Heaven people weren't so happy about our behaviour. We accept every human culture there is! Nobody is against Japanese eating noodle soup or Brazilians being interested in football. And we even accept your french people eating shells and frogs, aren't we, Madame Berthoud?"

At this moment the blonde seemed be speechless. With a saturnine look, hopefully chasing everybody at this table till Alaska, I gripped my block and the two pencil parts and had problems not to collapse right away. I had problems to breath and the room started to turn in front of my eyes, while the Akuto continued pulsing in my ears, until I felt numb. It was pretty exhausting to gasp the next words, because my throat was incredibly dry now. But hell, this had to be said at least once!

„If I were in your spot, look who's talking before you call the Heaven people primitive mutations. You are the ones sitting here in a stupid conference room to beat around the bush just because you are too afraid to admit you are afraid of change!"

With blowing hair I turned around, hoped not to fall over my feet during this dramatic leaving and stopped again in front of the door.

„You're all talking about working for humanities well-being. So start thinking about the possibility we could benefit from the Heavens, too! And don't dare to start again; we don't know this world. I guess my opinion is clear. And maybe it would be better to send my generation, because yours obviously is to anxious. So please, put the sticks out of your asses and start acting logical and with courage and intelligence!" O shit. I didn't say this, did I?

...

**Anime characters appearing in this chapter in person:**

Takamori Kazuya

Everything else is mine ;D

Some Reviews, please?:-)


	6. Heavenly news

**Hey everybody welcome back!**

The next chap is right here, but first of all I want to say thanks for the nice reviews and to everybody who put my story as favourite. That's great and the followers make me really happy, too^^

Do you like it so far? How do you think about the background and the time squip? Do you even like the charakters and my writing style? And are there lots of mistakes? ._.

So here's the next chapter. I know you're probably all waiting for the meeting, but it will still take a bit til Munto appears. Yeah, I know the story started a bit slow until now, but in the end of this short chapter the real plot will start. So forgive me if it takes too long but I want Yumemi's life and the current situation of community to be explained as detailed as possible. Hope you like it anyway;)

And before you start: **I'm still looking for a Beta Reader! **I know there are still some big mistakes in my writing but I want you to enjoy reading without this grammar or spelling mistakes, so is there anybody who'd like to read through the chapters before I'll publish them? Would be cool if you could contact me by private messaging, if there is someone :)

ENJOY chapter fife!

* * *

Chapter five: HEAVENLY NEWS

Hardly breathing I ran into the hallway and passed Ichiko and Suzume. They probably heard my little speech even through the walls, because they were staring at me with open mouths. But I was so angry at the moment I only gave them an apologetic look. I needed rest. And air.

Down in the lobby I only flashed by Euphiee, who gave me a confused look, I didn't catch any more. As soon as I was outside, I started to run. The cold autumn wind blew my hair back while I carved through the afternoon traffic-jam. The cars on all sides honked but I ignored them. I ignored revolting passers-by and the blinking light signs around me, too. I just ran until my legs hurt and the anger in my belly was only a light breeze. Only then I allowed myself to sit down on an empty bench and cursed my intractability.

Oh my god, I was so in trouble. And I could cry right now. Sighing I watched the block and the pencil halves in my hands. Kazuya would never talk to me again, but to be honest I couldn't blame him. Probably he might listen to the whole world's reproaches right now. Because of me. I'd have to crawl in dust in front of him and Suzume. At the moment I only hoped my speech – if not costing Kazuya his job – was at least worth it. Just to give Miss Frenchwoman and Mr. Nameless a tongue-lashing. Oh shit, hopefully my dad wouldn't get problems at his workplace. Who knows, where this businessmen had their fingers in the pie.

With another sigh I threw the lifeless pencil rests into the next waste bin, took a look at the block and threw it afterwards, too. There were only three words on the page: mutation, conspiracy, an equal sign and cowards.

I put my arms around myself and let my eyes wander over the place before I frowned. Obviously I evolved some unknown sporting prowess during my little rage. It only took a few minutes from the Takamori-Cooperation to the Tower square – and usually you needed at least 15 minutes fort this distance. I guess the name "Tower square" explains itself. With a strange and heavy feeling in my chest I leaned back against the wood and put my head back, hoping not to break out in tears in front of in the assembled company.

They were overhead, between the grey white clouds. Flew like mysterious black shadows, surrounded by the thick and drifting clouds and prompted some old feelings. My little secret, which wasn't mine anymore. I bit my lip.

I only wanted to know if they were alright. Lady Ryuely, these three men, whose names I never get to hear, though they protected me with their lives. Toché, too. Lady Ryuely's little apprentice and all the other people who defended their kingdom.

And him…The first ambassador, I knew since two hours ago now– holy shit, what happened today- only told the king of the Magical Kingdom went on a journey a year ago, return unknown. That's what they said in Heavens.

When the sun jutted from the clouds, which were getting darker with every minute, it seemed to me as if a few hours already passed. The big clock at one of the skyscrapers let me face reality and showed me my sense of time was a waste, because it had been only 30 minutes. The huge white tower in the middle of the square gleamed light in front of the grey sky.

Endlessly high, with elegantly curved lines and rare overhanging parts, its use architects still asked about. At least two dozen meters wide and surrounded by a mystic twinkle, deforming the close air. A door or something similar was missing, windows too. But everybody saw and some people already experienced the walls weren't solid. It was more like an illusion, because in fact you could easily walk through. The ambassadors did – just to return later with a frightened face to explain my beloved Heavens were primitive.

I pressed my teeth together. Idiots. How did they get their jobs? Everything they did was talking. Talking and telling nonsense and lulling society with lies and wrong facts. Exactly like this nameless man. Only the memory let me hope for another pen to destroy. Hopefully he was sitting angry and pissed in Kazuyas Office.

Oh man, Kazuya. I owed him so much and I made a mess out of everything.

With a desperate sound I put my arms on my knees and buried my face in my hands. Unmotivated I watched through my fingers to the dirty bottom. Would it work to go back and apologize in public? Or would somebody inform against me for insulting him? Damn, why did my mouth act on its own again?

My eye moved back to the tower. Okay, this was probably the answer. The Heaven Tower seemed to be pretty interesting today, because behind the provisionally wall made of red caution tape there was a big bunch of sightseers as well as the usual number of tourists. The caution tape stopped people from getting closer than 500 meters to the strange building and was guarded everyday in all weathers by lots of men in black suits. Fortunately the number of tourists went down over the years, because after a while the city had been close to burst the seams.

Nowadays the city council had problems with the opposite. Obviously many people didn't like to wake up and see the proof for the miscalculations of humanity in front of there windows. To make it short, nowadays about a quarter of all citizens had taken to their heels and had vanished.

But even without the red tape cordoning off onlookers, the majority of the crowd wouldn't have had the courage to go closer. That was because the Tower radiated something. Something that made the air flicker and turn warm. I followed the towers shape with my eyes and smiled weakly. Maybe they didn't know what was tingling on their arms with every step they went closer. I did.

When I saw the Heaven Tower the first time I was sure someone was playing pranks on my eyes. But they didn't.

I closed my eyes with relish when a warm wind blew gently over the square and made hair and jackets whirl. The spirits whispered happily in my ears, giggled and laughed like little children and I didn't understand anything like usual. But the calmed me. This place calmed me down since it was formed. The breeze, the flickering around the tower. It was the spirits. The energy of the Heavens, belonging to the Lower world now, too. Much weaker than in the Heavens, but existent.

Only few people risked going closer. It had nothing to do with the barrier tape – from experience it is known red tapes makes the interest only grow – but with the feeling in the air. Even they sensed it, they only hadn't a name for it. And so they preferred to stay away. I, though, sometimes wondered if they could see it, too. The light golden shimmer around the white building.

The Tower connected two worlds. The Heavens and the Lower World. And it was so full of Akuto I saw it blowing around it like an invisible shield.

„Hidaka-san?"

Alarmed I raised my head and crashed immediate against a bearded chin. Cursing I grabbed my forehead and gave an apologetic look to the person in front of me. This dreaming would be my dead one day, in this I agreed with Ichiko.

„I'm awfully sorry, I was…What on earth are _you_ doing here?"

I stared at my opponent in confusion while he was touching his probably hurting jaw.

„I guess I made a mistake when I thought we had the same opinion and you might not think of me as a stubborn politician. Obviously I was wrong."

„I'm so sorry! It was an accident, I was thinking.", I said before the older man sat down next to me on the bench. Relieved I realized he seemed to be more amused than angry. At least one person.

„You don't have to apologize. Not after what you've done.", he answered only.

The question burned on my tongue, but I bit my lips to not say it out loud. Ukada Minato only smiled gently and understanding.

„You are worried about the image of Kazuya Takamori?" I only nodded lamely.

„He gave me the possibility to join the meeting, though I'm not his employee. Did you actually see that?"

„In the moment you entered the room."

Great. I grimaced and he started to laugh.

"Don't worry. Somebody like him won't get big problems because of this. This boy is brilliant. A private friend of yours?"

I nodded again.

"He is in a relationship with my best friend."

„Ah, the girl with the a bit twister-like character."

"A bit? You underestimate her."

His laugh was kind of calming and familiar. In a way he reminded me to my dead grandfather. He had the same hair and beard. Both had probably been black once but meanwhile it was greyer. There were deep wrinkles in his face, spreading over his forehead and in the corner of his eyes and made the angular face softer. Friendlier. And older of course. Only the eyes were different to my grandpa's. Grandpa Yazoo had been a crazy and a bit weird old man always ready to tell some funny and strange worldly wisdoms. This man here was old. Around sixty I guess. But not crazy. And not stupid at all.

The next minutes it was silent. I continued watching the slowly becoming clear sky and considered if I could ask him some other questions. I turned my head and saw his eyes wandering over the Heaven-Tower in fascination. Then, after a few other minutes of remaining silence I finally asked carefully: "How did it end? And why are you here?"

Ukada turned his face into my direction and gave me a soothing smile.

"Much as I'd like to shift these blockheads, I'm not here on my own." I followed his look and found a much too common group of grumpy looking businessmen, searching for a way though the crowds, Kazuya ahead. His eyes moved and with an anxious squeak I pressed back against the bench. I needed a few seconds to realize Ukada's amused gaze and moved my now red head to the other site.

„Don't worry, he's not angry with you." Really. I guess furious fits better.

"That's what you think."

"I know. He said so.", Okay, that were some news. I watched him skeptically.

"In what way?"

„After you left he said something that made more than obvious he agreed with you. And we might be so good to put the sticks out of our asses, to make more decent decisions." My cheeks turned even darker and the old man laughed louder. Yeah, he hadn't been the one insulting a bunch of politicians.

„You have courage, sunshine. And you're intelligent. Ever thought about becoming politician?"

„Honestly.", I sniffed and crossed my arm in front of my chest, "You're not serious, are you?"

He only continued laughing and the sound was pleasant. Never thought a politician would laugh so much. I looked past him, met Kazuyas eyes and hold back my breath in panic. The young man gave the businessmen in his back a look, turned back to me and his emotionless face unraveled. The group was next to the barrier and had already begun to attract some curious tourists. Shit, of course he was angry at my. And I already started to write my testament, before I realized it was pretty stupid. My family would get anything. But maybe I could ignore Chikara. Better not. He would probably blemish my grave if I did so.

But different than expected Kazuya suddenly started to smile. And somehow he seemed to have problems not to laugh when Ms. Frenchwoman, or Madame Berthoud to be more precise, tottered past him, nose high in the air before she snapped at a security guard. A big grin formed on my lips and though Kazuyas look became blaming for a second I could live with it. Apparently I wasn't as deep in trouble as I though. Otherwise he would have chased me out of the city with one deadly gaze and I knew he was able to do so. I had seen it more than once. I exhaled relieved and smiled in surprise when I saw Ichiko and Suzume barging their ways trough the crowds. I really had problems not to laugh when Suzume nearly stumbled over her own feet.

"Hidaka-san?"

"Please call me Yumemi, I don't like being called by my second name, as long as I'm not that old yet.", I laughed, before I realized something important, "Hey, you speak Japanese!"

„Of course, I'm a native speaker.", Oh. Embarrassing. What made me remember I cursed the conference hall in English. Holy shit. Whether my English professor would believe me, if I told him? Probably not.

„But okay, it's Yumemi then. You don't have to worry about the meeting. Only Madame Berthoud's pride was badly affected, but you really don't have to worry about that. It does the fury good."

I smiled tortured. Unfortunately it wasn't that easy.

But this sentence made Ukada become even weirder. He looked like a strict old man and talked like somebody, spending too much time close to teenagers.

"Instead I'd like to thank you." And it gets weirder!

I blinked many times, when he raised his angular hand.

"I think we have the same opinion concerning the Heavens, you made this very clear." He chuckled.

"I was impressed by your courage, Yumemi. Not many people would have had the courage to speak something out loud in the presence of international ambassadors." Or better, nobody else would have been so stupid, except me.

"But thank you. Your words were though-provoking."

Hesitant I took his hand and gave him a careful smile. His handshake was surprisingly strong for his age. Once again I focused his colleagues next to forbidden area and was more than surprised when the Canadian ambassador dove under the barrier tape, followed by Ms. Frenchwoman and the nameless idiot. Even over the distance I became suddenly tensed and the Akuto whispered excited in my ears.

"Sorry to ask you, Ukada-san but…", a disquieting feeling grew in my chest when the wind coming over the square became colder, though the sun was perfectly seen in the sky.

„Who is this man? The tall one who always lulls people with his voice."

"You don't know his name? I thought so, like you were talking to him…"

"I address him nameless troublemaker, to be honest." I admitted and avoided to look at him.

"That's Kagaja Akira. The Chinese ambassador and pretty much of an idiot." That was something I could only agree with.

But when I tried to focus the man who was so obviously against my Heavens my view became suddenly blurred. Frowning I rubbed over my face and tried to cut out the rustle of Akuto in my head. Close to the Heaven Tower it was always stronger than usual but this…With narrowed eyes I pressed my hands on my ears, when the rustle turned into a painful thrum. And it became even louder. Like the voices on the square. Like a swarm of angry insects there were screaming at me, wild and flustered, till my head was close to explode.

„Yumemi? Are you alright?"

I heard a surprised scream on the right, raised my head together with Ukada and we saw Suzume falling to the ground once again. Her eyes were torn open in shock. Then suddenly, without a warning, the hell broke lose. People ran confused and screaming over the square, the businesspeople jumped backwards behind the barrier tape again and Ichiko, Suzume and Ukada were only staring in the sky with open mouths.

I bowed my head back and did the same.

The tower was gleaming. The air around the Heaven Tower flickered uncontrolled, thin vines made of light and sparkling wind blew leafs and dust through the air, while the Akuto was screaming in my head. It screamed, screeched and clamored, because it felt the first connection between the worlds for years.

Then a blazing flash of light. Lots of terrified cries sounding like one. And because of a reason I had never been able to remember I jumped from the bench and started running. Towards the tower and not away like everybody else did. Slithering I stopped in front of the barrier tape, dust blew into my face and the Akuto hissed so loud I couldn't breath. While Suzume and Ichiko ran into my direction and while Ms. Frenchwoman landed on her put because of the chaos, I was happy my jaw was connected with the rest of my body. From one second to the other the light disappeared.

And somebody I knew only too well slumped with a startled outcry to the asphalt.

* * *

**RedWingedAngel002: **Yeah, the little brother is pretty naughty:D Maybe it's interesting to know I used my own little brother as model for the 15-year old Chikara. Though the real one is even worse. And Chikara is going to change drastically when the story gets to it's climatic scene;) I'm looking forward how you'll think about his character and the coming character change. But it will still take a while, first we'll concentrate in Yumemi^^

And about the information with the 8 continents I have to say I didn't knew o.o I hope nobody cares about this detail but when I watched the Ova's there were only this two names except Magical kingdom given and I don't remember the actual number of continents. So I hope you'll forgive me when I use my own imagination :D in this story there'll be fife continents and two of it are completely fiction ;D

Anyway, thank you for the information

Yeah, I had to change Yumemi's character a bit or the story line wouldn't make sense. Her now more straight and courageous character is one of the main points and besides I think fife years and everything she's been through are a good reason to change. Not only for her but in general. I don't think it's realistic she went through so much without becoming more serious and losing a bit of her naive attitude.

And I brought the politicians in because in my view something like flying continents _**has **_to be important for governments :D

My god, I'm sorry for writing so much ._.

Thank you anyway for the review ^^


	7. Surprise, surprise

**Hey guys!**

It's been about two or three weeks now, I guess. Sorry it took so long, but now I am happy to tell there won't be as big mistakes as before any more. **RedWingedAngel002** was so kind to offer herself as my Beta-Reader and I think she did a great job! Hope you think so too and enjoy reading. All following chapters will be overlooked, though it will take longer because of it, probably. But I prefer to uploade correct chapters without mistakes. If there might be some little mistakes somewhere, please tell me or ignore it.

From now on, I'll try to uploade once per week, put I can't promise.

I have to say I like this chapter and I'd be happy about some feedbacks and reviews. It's great to so there are about 200 views by now (though I know this is nothing for some famous stories here, but I'm happy anyway). Hope you keep following the story :)

**So now enjoy!**

* * *

SURPRISE, SURPRISE

Even today, I still remember being completely convinced it was Munto. That it had to be him, because he already took his time because he promised me to come back and because for this one second, I wished it was him, who entered our world. It didn't take long until I realized it was only wishful thinking, since Munto would never fall headlong on the asphalt – or wear clothes, which made him look like a djinn.

Ryuely's apprentice, however, did.

"Holy shit!" Ichiko shouted next to me and rubbed over her face in shock, as if she wouldn't believe her eyes. I knew where she was coming from. Same here.

"Oh my god," I breathed and struggled not to collapse instantly. What a bitch of a day…

"How did he get here?" Suzume mumbled thoughtfully from the ground and touched her chin, "How odd."

Without thinking about it – somehow I hadn't for a while now – I started elbowing my way through the crowd and didn't care if I was rude at all.

"Yumemi, can you stand still for at least five minutes?!" Ichiko yelled behind me.

No, I'm not able to do that. But the sensational passers-by were, who blocked my way.

Shit, this was about my only connection to the Heavens (and Munto) so they should stop babbling how rude the youth was. Who cares? I had already made it obvious that all adults can stick it!

"Toché!" I shouted over the crowd, before I realized it was a bad idea and shut my mouth afterwards. I pushed an old couple that were frozen in shock as gentle to the side as possible, because I feared otherwise they would join with Suzume on the floor. And probably they wouldn't take it as easy as my young friend. In all Heaven, how did I blunder in this trouble again? Panting I ran over the square and bowed less elegant under the caution tape, just to freeze immediately.

"Hey, who are you?"

"What do you want here?"

"Go back, where you came from!"

"Get lost, you freak!"

The young magician was surrounded by a bunch of teenagers. Boys, it were three of them, obviously involuntary going through puberty and lucky I saw this as a reason not to make their lives a living hell. They looked at Toché as if he was an extremely interesting exhibition piece. Their clothes were old and wasted and with the dark tattoos on their skinny arms, which they were definitely too young for, they reminded me to the guys my little brother used to brawl. One of the few things he did right.

"Hey, look at his ears!"

"Hilarious!"

"He looks like a monster!"

"He _is_ a monster."

My reaction was – like so often – not the most intelligent one. But I ignored Ichiko's desperate calls, Kazuya's warning, and Suzume's absent looks and dashed with big steps across the square until I reached the four boys. Toché was still sitting on the ground looking confused and overwhelmed by the situation. I jumped between them and the mage and cursed politicians again. Where the hell were these stupid guards if you needed one?

"You! Go away!" I yelled and pointed to them. My hand moved to the end of the square, but they didn't move. Meanwhile, I found out where the guards were: They had trouble to prevent a mass panic. Shit.

"RIGHT NOW!"

"Who cares what you say, heh?" A pretty courageous one asked and I put my hands into fists, when he wanted to pass me. _Don't slap him, don't slap him, you are already in deep trouble, don't make it worse…_

"This freak…"

"Piss off…"

My voice was so incisive I was scared myself, "And you'll leave him be, you understand?!"

Rudely, I gripped his arm when the jerk only made an unfriendly gesture with his hand and didn't think about the consequences. If necessary, I would drag these punks down the square. If even the youth reacted so badly, then how should this go on? So much for that. My generation was impressed by the Heavens, at least. Hopefully this bunch here was an exception.

Poor Toché.

But what happened next, was something even I didn't expect. The boy screamed out terrified, tore his arm out of my grip and jumped back, while staring at me as if I turned into a walking devil. But I was too angry and malicious to care for his strange reaction and only gave him a deadly look, which hopefully might chase him out of the state. Hand pressed on his arm, he slipped a noise of panic when I took a step towards him and turned around in his heel, friends behind him.

Nice to see how often 'men' took to their heels; and how they say women is the meek gender.

Still annoyed, but also a bit confused by the boys reaction – he acted as if I had pointed a gun at him – I turned around, gave the frightened boys another dark gaze when they looked back and kneeled before Toché then.

This had to be a nice welcome. Travelled from one world to another and might listen to a bunch of kids calling him monster.

I watched the magician and was surprised. Somehow in my memories of him, he had been much smaller and his face had looked more childlike. But in fact…he had to be around my brother's age now. Chikara, though, was even smaller than Toché and he was now a head taller. I had to bow my neck to look into his eyes. Holy crap, why did everybody change so drastically? Okay, except of the blonde hair and this little cap. Both were still the same.

A strange tickle in my neck made me look back. Later I wished I didn't. My heart stumbled and flew into lower regions. The whole square was staring at us. I couldn't say whether Touché or I was in the main attraction, but I felt the desire to slap myself. Ichiko made the impression, as if she wanted to put me in chains to beat the daylights out of me. Kazuya instead was completely shocked this once and in the end Ukada was the only one watching the situation with a mixture of amusement and confidence.

"Yumemi?"

Perplexed, I turned my head and held back a surprised scream, because Toché had stood up – and he was a lot taller than me! With big still childlike eyes the boy, who grew a lot in five years, looked down on me. A bit confused and still troubled because of all the staring people. But then his face suddenly lighted up and he looked like he was close to cry.

"It's really you! You are fine and…oh."

Why the hell was he kneeling aground now? Stop it! That's more than suspicious!

"Forgive me, Princess." He honestly snuffled and a happy smile grew on his face, "I'm just so happy you're alright and…and…"

His eyes sparkled suspiciously. Shit.

"Toché, can you kindly stop calling me like that!" I hissed desperately and asked myself if this face wasn't to small for this big grin.

"Everybody was so worried about you," he started babbling, "Ryuely always said we don't have to worry and all, but Munto disappeared after a while and I wasn't able to see you though I'm close completing my education and… No that's unimportant, because you're here now and maybe you can visit us soon and see everybody again and…"

"Toché! Shut up!", I nearly snorted, went on my knees too and grabbed his shoulders. Behind, the businessmen set themselves in motion again. And all the other people didn't care about the caution tape any longer either as if it was nothing more than normal a striped tape.

But Toché obviously didn't understand the danger of this situation, since he was still busy telling me how worried everybody had been. On other days I would have been moved to tears, but right now it would make everything even worse – especially because Toché still continued to gibber. So I just grabbed his shoulders harder and held back the desire to shake him thoroughly in front of everybody.

"Toché, listen to me! I'm happy to see you, too, but will you kindly shut up?"

"But why, I'm so relieved to see…"

"Tochè, listen!" He pressed his lips together and nodded. Finally he got it!

"Listen, you don't know me and I don't know you, okay? They may not know who I am! Nobody knows. Nobody, do you understand what I mean? I promised to Munto."

The name of his king was everything I needed. His face turned serious right away and suddenly his expression was much older. And somehow I missed the childlike happiness.

"Oh my…Of course, I'm so stupid."

He rose quickly and with such self-confidence my memory of the small, a bit shy, the blonde boy began to totter. I put my hands off his shoulders and tried a hopefully calming smile.

"We have never seen each other before. There is no Girl of Destiny and I've never visited the Heavens, understood?"

He nodded seriously, but his mouth corner continued moved up and made him smile a bit. I wanted to continue talking, I had so many things to ask and the questions were burning hot and tinkling on my tongue, but a hand touched my shoulder before I could open my mouth.

"Yumemi, is everybody okay?"

I gave Ukada a revealed look and smiled lightly, "Yes, it's alright."

"Well, well, what a surprise."

Once again I felt cold because of his greasy voice and hoped my warning look was understandable to Touché. He had to know you might not trust this man to my mind.

"That's what I call a lucky coincidence. Please tell us your name and your concerns to visit us." Kagaja nearly purred and I was incredibly relieved when Ichiko and Suzume appeared next to me. Suzume was in Kazuya's arms again and the other ambassadors had assembled around us in a semicircle. In a distance of twenty meters, the bunch of curious onlookers was walking around like lions, hoping to experience something of big consequence, but they were stopped by grumpy suit wearing men.

Toché returned Kagaja's look with head held high, but I could see the worry and the intensity behind his eyes. Damn, this boy wasn't older than fifteen and had to face a scary and intimidating businessman of two meters. Somehow I felt the desire to grab and whisk him away, just to get him out of the attention.

"Of course, sir. Please forgive my unannounced appearance. My name is Toché and I'm Lady Ryuely's apprentice." He bowed his head in respect, "It's an honour to serve the Heavens as their ambassador. I was send here to deliver a message from all five kingdoms and..."

He got stuck and his look moved over everyone present a bit overwhelmed. As if he was looking for help his eyes met mine, but I just helplessly moved my head and prayed he might look somewhere else soon. But Kagaja had already realized.

"Do you know already know Miss Hidaka, Toché? It would seem like it."

Ichiko next to me seemed close to a heart attack, while Suzume winced, startled, but because of Kazuya's arms nobody saw it. There was a touch of fear is Toché's face for a second, but it vanished quickly

"No, I don't. I only want to give thanks to her for helping me." He turned towards me completely now and bowed his head again.

"It's not worth talking about." I pressed forth and tried a half-hearted smile. I quit doing so short after because it was probably looking pretty constrained.

"Toché," Ukada's hand on my shoulder was gentle when the businessman moved forward. He was the first one reaching Toché his hand and said, "I deeply apologize for our citizens. They are still young and naïve and didn't understand who you are. I'm afraid I have to say, there are still lots of people who are warily."

Toché hesitated, but took the offered hand anyway and a light smile moved his lips.

"There is nothing to apologize for. Everyone has his own opinion."

Oh boy, if I wasn't completely wrong, Toché acted like one of these politicians, too. Talked in riddles and neatly skipped the main topic. Where did the small shy child go off to?

_You aren't the only one growing older, you know?_

"To come back to the reason for my visit," Toché began and tightened his shoulders again, "Like I've already said, I was chosen to deliver a message from all kingdoms as well as from my mistress Lady Ryuely. However…"

He watched the curious crowd again and blinked in surprise when he saw the camera, moving between all the people. A camera! I had problems not to faint and clanged to Ichiko. The poor girl already stopped moving a while ago.

"However I thing we should talk about the rest off the record. Lady Ryuely foresaw there would be an international meeting with several ambassadors today, so she told me to go this morning. If you could tell me know, where I can find these ambassadors…"

"Calm down." Ukada smiled friendly. "You are lucky."

He made a sweeping gesture, taking all the present businessmen in.

"Said ambassadors are already here. And we…." he stopped and suddenly I felt watched, when he chuckled, "There have been interesting conversations today, so I think I may speak for everybody, if I say we are looking forward to your words."

Tochés face lightened in ease, when he recognized Ukada didn't face him with blatant distrust like the rest of the bystanders. But what was this meant to be? Message to the Heavens?

My head span towards Kazuya but he made a fast gesture to indicate me that it was better to stay quiet. Oh my, I had to know what happened after my leaving. Why did I run off again?

Oh yeah, I forgot. Probably they had thrown me out either way. I frowned intently and briefly shook Ichiko, because she kept imitating an ice sculpture and this behaviour wasn't normal. Actually we acted much too suspiciously.

"Well, all right! Toché I propose to retreat to a less…public place. Takamori-kun? Is it possible to return to your office?" he asked Kazuya then. The black haired man nodded.

"Of course. I agree it's better to not discuss this in…publicly," he ended in a peeved tone.

With an unusual annoyed face he raised his hand to place it on the camera objective, which was definitely too close to Suzume and faced down the camera operator. The pushy man became pale instantly and probably Kazuya would have killed everybody around with his look if Suzume hadn't placed her hand gently on his cheek. A second later he was patience and control in person again. Sometimes it was really scary to watch her effect on him.

"Gentlemen, Madame Berthoud. If you'd follow me."

Ukada smiled politely and placed his hand on Toché shoulder in a friendly way, what made the boy look as if he wanted to jump for joy. Thankfully he stayed on the ground and only gave me a light smile, one that vanished when another hand touched the other shoulder. Flanked by the two businessmen Toché was lead towards the city centre. Ichiko shook her head in disbelief and when the crowd started moving she let hear a sound I couldn't define. Something between laugh, sob, and moan.

"One day, you'll drive me into my grave," she breathed and seemed closed to tears. "Yumemi, you'll be the reason for my heart to collapse one day and I swear my distressed soul will hunt you the rest of you life, do you understand?"

In light of the fact that she had problems to stand straight and closely resembled a fish, my first reaction was to hold back a laugher, but luckily I managed to nod seriously.

Suzume joined us, gave Kazuya a last longing look, he answered with the same expression, but he had to follow the others. I desperately wanted to follow them, but there was a voice in my head telling me this would be a bad idea. At least Miss Frenchwoman and Kagaja would probably rather die than allow me to come close to a meeting again. And I guess the rest of the people agreed, maybe except Ukada. Anyway I couldn't stop my eyes following the weird crowd of suit wearing men and Toché, I could still see at the end of the square because of his colourful and somehow oriental looking clothes. I was worried and hoped this wouldn't get out of control again. There had been enough stress for this day.

"It's going to be alright Yumemi," Suzume's little hand touched my arm and gave me one of her brightest smiles, "He'll manage."

It took a few minutes until Suzume revealed to us Kazuya told her to follow in some distance. I looked back at the Heaven-Tower once again, closed my eyes under the Akuto's laugh and suppressed a big smile. _Soon_, I just thought while raising my head trying to recognise the Towers end beyond the clouds. Without success. _Soon we will see again. _

The magical king had to return as soon as possible. And if he dared to not do so, you can count on it. I wouldn't wait until kingdom come. I would find a possibility to go up, no matter what might come. Today I faced some of the most influentially people there were. Compared to that a spicky-eared king, they was nothing.

* * *

Silently we were sitting in the Takamori-Cooperation's lobby, starring to the opposing wall. Well, actually Ichiko had been running up and down in front of my nose for about half-hour now and little by little I felt the desire to grip her and place her on the couch again crowing. This woman made me all fuzzy!

Suzume meanwhile toddled with a dreamy smile and Euphiee directly behind her past the huge aquarium and watched the exotic fish.

Once again, I had to admit Kazuya wasn't normal. He had money. At the age of twenty-three he built himself a huge imperium and possessed probably more money than he could ever dispense. Well, if you could trust Suzume's words, he got the businesses main structure from his parents – who adored Suzume as much as their son by the way – but I knew they weren't responsible for the aquarium and the additional million on his banc account.

The lobby I crossed so often it was nearly as familiar as our campus, was pure luxury. Besides the aquarium, occupying about ten meters of the wall opposite the elevators, the room was modest.

Gold and crème colours dominated and were completed by dark brown couches and armchairs. The elevators had warm dark colours too and there was the businesses logo in a delicate gold on it; a T in a bit old fashioned style with a big scrollwork at the upper line, surrounded by an oval. Plain but classy. Just like Kazuya.

But, while watching Suzume who was running through the lobby with a big smile, I was sure she wouldn't care about Kazuya's job, even he'd stand on the street selling hot dogs. She fell for him long before he become so successful, what was probably another reason for him to love her unconditionally. She didn't care about his money at all – if she understood he was rich if that.

I was more worried about the question who'd die first, if he'd realize his idea of doing a serious marriage proposal (and I knew he had been thinking about it since she turned eighteen), because Suzume's dad…well, he was a bit over protective. Unfortunately, the fact Kazuya was nearly five years older than his little girl didn't made things easier. That's why he used to observe every single move Kazuya was doing, always ready to cut his finger off if he might touch some dangerous zones. Luckily, we were nobody's fool (partly drawn Suzume). There was the reason for us three spending more time here at the business than at our own home.

I shook my head before I looked back at Ichiko. I should stop philosophizing about this, when I knew my brain just tried to distract my thoughts. My look wandered around and stopped at one of the big monitors that spread all over the ceiling. You could see an advertisement or something and I didn't spend much attention to it. Well, Until Ukada suddenly crossed the screen. Closely followed by Kazuya and then…

"Ichiko! Suzume!"

With big eyes, I stared at the monitor and directly to Tochés tensed face. Ukada and Kagaja were guiding him through a big room I knew just too well and which was filled with lots of reporters now.

"They are in conference hall three," Ichiko mumbled next to me and pressed her eyes together. Camera lights blinked and flickered in the foreground, while Ukada offered the chair in the middle of the big pedestal to Toché. I felt relief flow through me when Kazuya blocked the chair next to him, when Kagaja came closer. If the businessman realized he had done it on purpose, he didn't show it, but smiled gently to the cameras only.

I gulped and changed a worried look along with Ichiko, who seemed to share my discomfort. Somehow, everything went out of control…Toché arrived maybe an hour ago and had to face a bunch of sensational people, who only watched for him to make a mistake. They definitely did this on purpose. Stupid politicians.

"Welcome, Ladies and Gentlemen!" Kagajas voice sounded fake to me, and slow but steady the conversations in the lobby stopped. Even Euphiemia forgot about her computer for a second and peeked over the marble reception counter, when Kagaja opened the press conference. It was frightening how fast and unique all hands rose at once and Tochés face turned pale.

Kagaja meanwhile started to smile confidently and I began to really hate him.

"Please, ask your questions one after another," Ukada said and gave the journalists a meaningful look, "We will try to answer you as concrete as possible, nonetheless we are pressed for time so…"

"Souma Lee, Tokyo Times! Sir, why are you pressed for time?" a man in the first line shouted directly and Ukada's eyebrow moved.

"Well…Toché? You have the word."

The boy nodded once and inhaled slowly. I saw his lips shaking.

"I was send here today to bring a message from the five kingdoms as well as from my mistress Lady Ryuely, the Heaven's first ambassadress…" he said the second time today, but again he was nearly immediately interrupted.

"Higaja Saito, Le Monde! A message?" came from the back and the blonde boy blinked in confusion…

"Err…"

"Please gentlemen, let ambassador Toché finish," Ukada required a bit more forceful now. Ambassador Toché. It sounded weird and obviously Touché wasn't sure how to think about his title too, before he drew himself up.

"Like I said, I was sent here today. Lady Ryuely foresaw a meeting of lots of international important personalities, that's why she chose today for my arrival. The Heavens consider that this half-hearted connection between our worlds can't continue like this for quite some time now. Consequently, my mistress asked my to advance this proposal, the kingdoms determined by mutual consent. When I came here today, I myself experienced how tensed the situation is and how many misunderstandings there are."

It was crazy what time could do. The little boy grew up.

"But at the same time, I see there are people who are open-minded and gently. None the less…"

"Excuse me, Johanna Michels, London Times, what do you mean with that?" a red haired women in the first line yelled and placed her glasses back up her nose. "What's the tensed situation?"

Toché opened his mouth and for a second I was afraid he made talk about something I prohibited him from doing, but Kagaja was faster.

"I think we all know the majority of the world is sceptical towards the Heavens. Something, which I can understand completely. So, I ask you to refrain such useless questions, we are still pressed for time."

The redhead didn't look happy at all, but she stayed silent and Toché took it as sign to continued.

"Said time-limit is caused because I am expected to return tonight. Lady Ryuely and the kingdoms emperors only asked me to bring the message to your people and to return as fast as possible, because there is another important person expected back and I don't want to miss his return either."

"Who is it?"

But Toché only shook his head, while my heart started jumping around like a little child and I felt as if the air in my lunges was missing. For a second it felt as if time had stopped. Ichiko and Suzume took both my hands, but kept staring to the screens too. They thought the same as me. Return of an important person…

"Luckily I met the persons I was looking for as soon as I arrived and I am honoured and relieved to say our proposal…"

"Today!" Without a warning, Kagaja stood up and looked directly to the cameras. Self-confidently – and a bit arrogant if you asked me – he smiled and I saw Ukada reacting the same way like me. With an angry look and narrowed eyes. Whatever they decided, this idiot didn't want Toché to day it.

"Today…" Kagaja repeated and was fully aware of the fact all attention was on him, "Humanity made probably one of the most important decisions ever; a decision, which is going to influence and guide our future's development. After long discussions and the meeting of international ambassadors this afternoon, we have come to a conclusion. There have been little differences, but I'm happy to say it's clear now what we must do."

_Little_ differences? Forget what I said earlier, I definitely hate this guy. I fit went like he wanted the Heavens would have ended as a second hell. How could he dare to act as if he was the angel here?

"Finally, we found a solution, matching to the Heavens request."

Request? Is he numb or just too stupid to know the difference in requests and proposals? This guy switched words to make it sound as if the Heavens had to wait for our answer.

He opened his arms and it was so quiet, where I was able to hear Ichiko's and Suzume's breathing and I was sure I was squashing their fingers in my hands.

"We hereby declare the renewal of the ambassador-program. The different stated decided to grand the Heavens demand and the new ambassador will be sent there already next week. He or she will be accompanied by some well-chosen people, who will be experts in their areas. Ambassador Toché will return tonight and deliver the great message to his orderers.

Even though we risk facing separated opinions in world's population we are sure, changes are necessary. We may not be afraid of what comes, but face it with courage and without fear."

This had to be a joke; a stupid joke. Kazuya's face braced at the same moment when Ukada's eyes darkened for a second. This idiot, stubborn and slimy politician used my words! My words he declared as juvenileness and naivety. How could he dare?!

Where was Kazuyas Kendo stick? I'd blow this guys head off!

"The ambassador and his accompanies will live in the Heavens, learn about their cultures and their society and return to us to tell their experiences. It will be these experiences, which will decide about our future connections and plans. Of course we hope for peace, all people appealing solution. But I'm sorry I have to say …"

He turned to the right and talked directly to Toché. His voice was mixed with a tiny sound of disgust but still so obvious there _had_ to be someone except me who realized. Ichiko pressed my hand once but I couldn't concentrate on hers and Suzume's calming words. Anger grew in my belly and the Akuto rustled discomforted in my head.

"If this undertaking will fail in some kind of way, what means, if our ambassador or his accompanies are harmed in any way or if something happens the world cannot accept or tolerate, the consequences will be serious. If there may be any aggressive actions from your side, we will not hesitate in using all available resources to guaranty our safety."

Silence. Perplex faces and wide opened mouths.

The blonde stood up. He bowed his neck to be able to look into Kagaja's face and I felt the desire to help him. But obviously the young boy didn't need any.

"I understand." the young magician answered with strong voice and bowed his head respectfully, but without lowering his eyes, "You care about your people. We accept your conditions, but the same is true of us. "

He reached out his hand, a very human gesture, I was sure I had never seen in the Heavens before and which made me think, Ryuely's apprentice hadn't been chosen for nothing, though he was so young. No, he was sent, especially because he was still so young and because of this youth still able to adjust himself.

"The relations between our worlds are tensed," he said and confirmed what everybody was in thought. Nobody dared to say a word. Toché called it tensed. I knew everybody called it the calm before the storm in secret. And this storm would be terrifying if it'd break lose.

"But that's why we wish for this to ease the relations between our worlds and to find some similarities and attachments. We are part of the same universe, the same planet and of the same world too in a way."

His hand was still stretched out, determined Kagaja now to show his cards. I saw Toché just made an enemy, because – no matter if on purpose or not – he stole Kagajas show. And I was bubbling over with gloating. Then the man took Toché hand and shook it.

"For peace." Ukada said loud.

He put his hand over the already crossed fingers and all the other ambassadors did the same, until Kazuya's hand – the Japanese ambassador's hand I finally realized –placed on the top and the pedestal was filled with a bunch of camera lights. It was a sight for the gods. Or better perfect material for complete tabloids on the planet.

"For peace!" Kagaja and Toché repeated together and for one second I thought I saw Toché narrowing his eyes in a painful way – as if the fingers around his hand pressed harder than necessary, before they let go.

"For peace!" all ambassadors repeated simultaneously and the camera noises vanished under the sudden and surprised applause in the lobby. I turned my head, watched the happy people, still trying to understand the news and asked myself in silence, if we truly had been the only ones realizing the pedestals air was strung to breaking point. This arrangement was a declaration of war. One wrong step and Kagaja would make sure everything would go down the tubes. The screens became black and Euphiee gave us a happy and excited look, until she realized we didn't look happy at all.

* * *

Hours passed by too slow for my liking, however, the anger in my belly disappeared slow but steady. Reporters flocked out of the lifts, swept babbling and grumpy-looking through the lobby and didn't deign to look at us. Singly the redhead with glasses gave us a long lasting look, but that was probably caused by my desire to give a loud and exhausted sign at the very second.

After about fifteen minutes the flow dissolved and I leaned back, eyes closed and arms crossed just to see the picture of a dozen crossed hands in front of my mind, which made me remember a single detail.

"Suzume!" I shouted, set jerky upright and gripped her shoulders, "Since when is Kazuya the Japanese ambassador? Why did you never tell me?"

That would explain why these weird meetings had been held right here. Sure, Kazuya was a famous businessman, but usually not interested in politics and just the fact he was the city's biggest businesses CEO wasn't important enough to allow his participation.

Now I wasn't sure if a cold shower would get my obviously sleeping brain cells back from hibernation. To my surprise, Suzume only smiled innocently and started to chuckle because of my shocked face.

"For about two years now. I thought you knew. What did you think was the reason for him to join these meetings?"

Groaning, I put my face to hands and gave the apparently really amused Ichiko a dark gaze, who considered it necessary to clap me on the shoulder.

"I need a vacation." I declared sourly. The last two years, I had had better things to do than observing useless politicians talk – maybe the reason I had been so impatient with the situation today – and consequently I didn't spend my time doing research about the responsible people. Whatever for?

Everything I heard about their decisions had been rubbish. But, oh my goodness, I owed Kazuya so much, if he even misused his position as ambassador to bring me into an international meeting. It wouldn't be enough to fawn upon him.

The next two minutes we stayed silent, until muffled steps resonated on the valuable floor. I didn't need to raise my head to know who came. Suzume's reaction was enough. The little angel quasi flew through the room into Kazuya's arms. The other ambassadors walked towards the exit at least and the majority gave me a withering look. Nice. And so friendly.

Except Kazuya, only Ukada, Madame Berthoud, the Canadian ambassador and Kagaja remained, though last three stopped a bit apart and watched me with frowning looks. My dear friend, Miss Frenchwoman, made the impression as she had bit a citrus or something. I rose with a sign and walked into Kazuya and Suzume's direction, while Ukada joined them. To my surprise I discovered Toché behind him, but other than before his colourful and balloon -like clothes had been replaced by usual teenager clothes, jeans and shirt. They probably belonged to Kazuya, because they didn't fit well. Only the little violet cap decorated his blonde hair, but I needed a while to recognize him.

"Ukada-san. Kazuya. Ambassador Toché." I nodded in each direction once and Toché answered with a light smile, before he picked at his clothes and frowned.

"Are you sure these clothes are acceptable?" he asked and made an a bit lost impression. Ukada started to laugh and even Kazuya seemed pretty amused. It was weird, because now Toché looked like a real 15-year-old – and not like someone, who faced a two heads taller and grumpy businessman. The blonde still chafed his hand and I didn't want to find out where the red marks came from.

"Totally, ambassador Toché. You'll be escorted towards the Heaven Tower now and your current appearance will arouse less attention. Of course you'll get your clothes back. It was a pleasure to meet you and I hope for positive developments for the ambassador program. See you in seven days."

He saw him off with the typical Japanese bow and I hold back the desire to wave him goodbye when he was guided out by two security men. There was a bad taste in my mouth left and a painful twitch in my chest. My possibility to get answers just vanished behind the doors. I wanted to follow him, to stop him and lay him in chains if it was necessary to find out what happened. If the important person was him. Where had he been? I would never get an answer to that. I lost my only opportunity. Damn it!

"Yumemi," Ukada's voice interrupted my thoughts and I looked up in surprise, "I'd like to know how you think about the conferences outcome."

I didn't know if I should be surprised or annoyed.

"Why do you want to know my opinion?" I asked specially, not sure how to think about this situation. Ukada sympathized with my views as far as I knew and though I had no idea about his reasons to do so, I decided to trust him about that. But why ask me about my opinion in a situation I had nothing to say after all? Did he forgot, I insulted those responsible?

"All on the surface," I said carefully and alert and kept a wary eye on Ukada's reaction. Behind him I saw the remaining ambassadors and realized they were staring at me, as if they waited on something and it was discomforting. Ukada might like me, but they obviously didn't.

"There have to be people who realized too." I continued mumbling and lowered my voice until the last reporter went through the exit. "He interrupted Toché when he wanted to say out the result. Probably he didn't want one of the Heaven-people to say something from such importance. And he used every possibility to turn the words to make the Heavens look weaker than us." I gnashed my teeth.

"And he stole my words!" I yelled and forgot the fact Kagaja was much older, much richer and especially much more inflective than me. But, arg…he was still an arrogant fool.

"What did you hear behind his words?" Ukada asked another question and though I wondered about his curiosity, I kept talking.

"A hidden menace. A declaration of war." I answered with a shrug and needed a while to see, Ichiko and Suzume and Kazuya as well were shocked.

"What is it?" I asked and felt awkward, "This really is possible."

Ichiko changed an odd look with Kazuya and I didn't know what to wonder about more; the speechless acknowledgement I went crazy ort he fact Ukada laughed way too much.

"But why do you ask me, of all people?" I interrupted his amusement on at my cost and watched unenthusiastically how the old man whipped a handkerchief out and removed the tears out of the corners of his eyes. Ichiko searchingly narrowed and obviously shared my impression this man was weird and couldn't decide if he was likeable or odd.

"I knew it!" the man laughed indeed and didn't care about the other people in the looby, who already started to look in our direction. And Ukada still ignored me.

"I knew it." he just repeated and turned, "Kagaja-san, Madame Berthoud, Mister Kenneth," he called across the room and made me freeze in shock, when the businesspeople came towards us.

"Let's get over with it."

I guess my face spoke volumes, because Miss Frenchwoman gave me a poisonous look, while she came closer.

"What's the point anyway?" Ichiko murmured. The poor one was close to collapse again, as pale as her face was and I didn't want to know what she was thinking about again.

I welcomed the three adults stonily and forgot our positions again. These people declared war to my Heavens. They didn't deserve any respect. Kagaja alertly looked down on me and dabbled at a fake smile. I guess he'd prefer to strangle me.

"Hidaka-san. You are still here?"

"Looks that way."

His lips pressed to a slim line and you could easily read the disapproval on his face. There was no reason to suppress it now. Everybody in a fife meter radius knew he didn't like me and the Heavens. He didn't have to hide it.

"I think you appreciate the development?"

"It could have been worse."

Kazuya gave me a warning look, but I ignored him.

"I'm happy to hear, you took my words to heart." Though I got the impression he became even snottier, "And it's good to hear, the ambassador program will be renewed, too."

When I smiled this time, it was honest.

"I see." Ukada said cheerfully and I could stop myself from observing him sceptically. Today, Ichiko was like reflexion of my thoughts, since she did the same and asked: "May we know why you are so happy?"

But the old men just kept smiling, before he answered: "I think you heard, the Heavens are awaiting the ambassador within a week. Consequently our time to find a suitable candidate is limited. You were so kind to draw our attention to our…deficits…in this area. We aren't good in finding people who are open-minded and unprejudiced. So we decided to listen to your advices once again."

With every word he said my face lightened up until I probably looked like a child in a sweet shop. Listen to my advices? They really wanted to send a young person? Oh boy, I should tear a strip off somebody more often!

I got stuck.

"You think of somebody special?" I said carefully and frowned, "I don't care if you want to tell me, but don't you think it's misplaced here? Once again, I don't understand why a young and naive…" I emphasized the words on purpose and saw Madame Berthoud gnashed her teeth. There must be some mistake.

"…is worth of being informed about something so important."

"Oh, that's easy. We've already decided."

"Well…and? Who's the lucky one?" My eyebrow jumped up. "Elucidate me, please, now I'm curious."

Kagaja took a step forward and his face was one of a cool businessman when he spoke, though there was something behind his mask I didn't want to analyse. Maybe it was anger or discomfort. Or something completely different I decided to ignore.

"After carefully consideration we need someone young and competent at the same tome, someone who is able to replace us in reasonable ways. The person needs perceptive faculty and courage."

Suddenly Ichiko started to breathe fitfully and her face turned pale alarmingly fast. Probably the efforts exact its toll. We had to end this as soon as possible.

"Please make it short, Kagaja-san. We are tired. Who's going to be the ambassador?"

Hopefully it was someone who was able to use his or her mind and no rich and arrogant fool, who would declare a war instantly. The man in front of me pressed his lips together.

And after what came next, I had problems not to lose ground.

"You."

Ichiko was taken to the land of dreams (or nightmares) and I was rather close to follow her.

* * *

Characters appearing in person:

Toché

* * *

**Finally it's done! The introduction is over and now the real plot can start. I'm excited to hear what you think about the development.**

**A _djinn_ is a being from indian myths and fairytails by the way, take the Disney movie Alladdin for example, but in fact I only wanted to underline Toché's clothing.**

See you at the next chapter!


	8. Of Desasters and Worries

**Hello everyone!**

**Thanks to RedWingedAngel's great work, I can uploade another chapter today. First of all I'm happy to see so many people took a look at this little story. But on the other hand I have to say I'm a bit disappointed...I hoped for some feedbacks and tips or even critisismn. I can't force you to and I don't want to. I wish my stories are enough to inspire you to a little review...**

**Well, that doesn't matter! Even if there are no reviews, I can see there are some people following Yumemi and the others and I think I can't ask for more.**

**So I hope you enjoy this little chapter, too. It's a bit more serious than before and kind of saddish in a way, but I like it, because it shows a small development in Yumemi's way of thinking.**

**Have fun!**

* * *

Chapter Eight: OF DEASTERS AND WORRIES

"Yumemi! Hey Yumemi, come on, open the door. You have to eat something!" Ichiko shouted the third time. Her voice was lowered by the wooden door, but I could hear she was worried. Instead of giving an answer, I pulled the blanket over my head. I didn't want to talk to anyone, not even Ichiko.

It was already dark outside and the sky was black. Clouds covered the stars so you could say night was as dark as my thoughts.

The white door was locked, curtains drawn close. Unfortunately a ring in the retainer was still missing, so I was forced to stare outside, when the furniture's white started burning in my eyes.

Tiredly, I watched the cloudy night outside and wasn't sure what was worse. Holding two world's futures on my shoulders or deciding if sleeping for a few years and giving the stress to others was coward.

"Damn, Yumemi!"

My look wandered absent minded towards the door and I let hear a long sigh, rose and shuffled blanket over my shoulders to the door. Ichiko nearly fell forward in surprise when the wood moved, but I was already climbing back in my bed, windows in my back.

Now I was staring to the wall again, fingers crawled around my blanket and groaned.

For a moment Ichiko seemed not to be sure what to do, but then she put the plate filled with soup on the desk. She knew I wouldn't look at her and I wouldn't eat either. The mattress at the beds lower end made a noise and a gentle hand touched my shoulder

"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked calm and reminded my to my mother. Though I had to admit she somehow always did the job. She had been taking care of Suzume and I as long as I could remember.

I shook my head and put my face back into my pillow. Instead of answering, I concentrated on the quiet noises in the kitchen next door, telling me Suzume had started experiments again.

"You switched off the cooker, didn't you?" I mumbled sceptically and imagined our flat going up in flames, before Kazuya chased us to the moon for not saving his beloved, "If she destroys the kitchen I'll commit suicide, you know? Can't handle even more stress."

Heaven, my voice sounded as if I hadn't been talking for years.

"The right to kill you is mine, dear and yes, the cooker is off."

A noise resounded from the kitchen and I heard Suzume giggle. Probably all of our kitchen stuff was on the floor now, but I hadn't the power to be angry. Who cares about plates or knifes on the floor if there was the possibility of being the cause for an interdimensional war. Although one of the worlds couldn't come up with magic - that allowed the other world to create energy balls and lightening, as it were nothing - it unfortunately possessed a huge amount of modern atomic weapons. I knew, I was close to break out in tears. Yeah, kitchen furniture was the last thing to worry about.

Ichiko's hand on my shoulder felt gentle and comfortable and so I kept lying silently under my blanket and listened to Suzume's steps. God, I'd love to switch places with her. I wanted to be without voices in my head, without impossible tasks and without the horribly aching feeling in my chest.

"I am afraid, Ichiko," I whispered so silently my voice was nearly lost under the noise of a falling pot, but the fact Ichiko's hand stopped proved the opposite. Shortly after, her hand vanished and then my blanket was carefully pulled away a bit. I made myself as small as possible and watched my friend with anxious eyes. My fingers were numb.

"I am so afraid. I can't. I just can't do it."

I put my face in my hands. I couldn't. I was alone. Lonely and weak. I wasn't able to hold the future of two worlds. Not alone. Maybe, if he was there, but not without him. It was too much. He was used to it, a king, powerful and mighty. Self-confident and strong. I was just a child, naive and not used to politics and so important circumstances. Ichiko's look became pitying but a weak smile touched her lips.

"Of course you are. Everybody would be."

"But why did they do this, Ichiko?" I cried desperately and sat up so fast the world shivered in front of my eyes for a second, "And why did they allow this? Why me? I yelled at them. I said they should pull the stick out their asses?! How shall I represent a whole country?"

"It's the whole world."

Moaning, I fell back and hold back another scream. A second later, I looked less confident through my fingers.

"You are of no help, you know?" I said dryly.

"I'm only being honest."

Hoping it would help forgetting reality, I put my hands over my eyes again. Tried to dive in my little darkness to forget all worries and hide inside the calm. The result was pretty lame by the way.

"I'm probably the most unfitting person he could find." I mumbled, "I am more interested in clouds than in people and I talk before I think. And when I think there is just nonsense coming out. I will ruin everything! There will be a war because of me, thousands… oh what am I saying, millions of people will suffer because of me and after all I'm just a _college student!" _

"Come on, stop pitying yourself. You said yourself they shall send someone young and without fear."

"I wasn't talking about myself!"

"You can't change you fit in young and fearless, sis, it's definitely your own fault."

I gave her an annoyed look.

"Is it funny to mock on my behalf and to show me how stupid I was, _sis_?"

"I have to say it's kind of charming." she confirmed and made me smile.

"And to be honest, Yumemi," her hand touched mine now and there had been just a few times I was as happy as now to have her, "If you hadn't talked, I had. Maybe not in the same way and a bit more polite, but honestly, it was so annoying to just listen."

Now I really had no laugh, but it vanished as fast as it started. My throat was still dry and I gripped her fingers tighter.

"I'm so afraid I might do something wrong. If I fail, everybody will suffer."

Only my reaction at the Takamori Cooperation confirmed my non-existing desire of becoming the ambassadress. I had looked like a fish, eyes wide, skin pale and after Ichiko had been able to breathe again, it had been me who had problems not to collapse. As soon as I got my voice back I had started begging and discussing, whether there was nobody else to do the job. I had tried to convince them it was a stupid and hilarious decision and didn't want to. But Ukada and Kagaja seemed to be completely of one mind the first time. Even Miss Frenchwomen had nothing to say, though you could see she wasn't happy at all. Finally, after a ten-minute discussion, I had been as pale as a ghost, ran outside, took flight at home and had hidden myself away in our small three-room-flat, unable to say something logical. Just the memory made my throat become tighter.

"Yumemi, hey, look at me."

Ichiko gripped my chin a bit harder than necessary and flashed her eyes at me.

"I don't allow you to act like an anxious child. You've already been in the Heavens. If there is somebody perfect for this mission, it is you. Nobody else loves this world as much as you do and that's why you'll do everything to not make this mission fail."

"And if that isn't enough?"

"Then it isn't, who cares? Boy, Yumemi, if you don't go, there will be another blockhead who's not courageous enough to fight back against this…what's his name?"

"Kagaja."

"Fight back against this Kagaja. And everybody could see he doesn't like the Heavens a bit."

"Yeah, I know! And that's why I don't understand he let me go."

Now Ichiko hesitated.

"I don't know. Maybe your little speech has disciplined him." Well, I was sure this wasn't the fact and she obviously didn't thought so too.

"Or Ukada made it happen, who knows?"

I bit on my lip until it hurt and the metallic taste of blood touched my tongue. For a split second, I just wanted to run. Run and run until nobody would find me. Until there was nobody who knew my name and nobody knew what I had to do.

"I want to run, Ichiko. I am afraid."

Her face darkened and when I looked at her, I was sure she remembered the same as me. The picture of a toppled ferries wheel, I remembered my heart racing and the cold wind on my skin. It had been so easy to look at Ichiko, to say I might not run away. It had been different to today. Today it was so hard to not to run.

"You may not run away," she whispered and my hope she'd give it up disappeared immediately… I know what I said back then, Yumemi, what I asked of you, but I won't do that again. Because, if you had run away I don't know where we were today. You may not run. There is no use in running. And no matter the past, just think of the possibilities!"

What possibilities? Fear touched me and a cold shiver run down my back. I pulled my hand back and moved until my back pointed at the door. There weren't so many possibilities. Either I'd live with it, or I had to face Kagaja once again. And the man made clear every ambassador agreed, god knows why, and we were pressed for time. There was just one week left and I should be aware of the fact I might be hauled over the coals if I hesitated. Oh and my future would be ruined. Well, I knew Ukada wouldn't allow something that way, but even the old man was completely convinced I was the best one for the job. And I didn't know anymore if I liked him or not.

And for the first time in years I wished to be a normal girl again. With usual problems like school, boys and all this stuff. Without supernatural coincidences. I didn't want to be the ambassadress. I didn't want any conflicts with extremely rich businesspeople, no Akuto, no Heaven-Tower and without the Hea-…

My eyes widened in shock in within seconds I said straight. The blanket fell of my shoulder and the red and velvet cloth appeared, covering my shoulders. Ichiko's eyebrows shoot up towards the ceiling, but I just stared out the window into the clouds.

What happened? I was ready to curse the Heavens? My beautiful Heavens full of magic and life! I knew I could never forget what happened five years ago and I knew too I didn't want to forget.

My teeth dig into my lower lip. No. It couldn't go on like that. I swore to myself not to be selfish, to think about others before myself. I had to make a decision, which would change everything and I could only decided if it was in a good or a bad way. I had the chance to change things. The chance to make a difference. Ichiko was right. I may not run. I wouldn't flee back then either.

Somebody had to go up and I couldn't risk the deal to be nullified or worse because of a rude fool, who'd act with the same political beliefs like Kagaja. Absolutely not! Blood-curdling imagination. A longingly pulling in my chest and the feeling of a warm breeze on my skin made my veins prickle.

_As long as we look out for tomorrow, the future will not come to an end. __As long as we don't give up, hope will always be there…_

The red cloth was soft under my fingertips, soft and comforting. And though I knew it was impossible after five years, I imagined smelling the scent of the Heavens. Hearing the rustle of the wind and feeling the gaze from golden eyes on my face.

"You miss him, don't you?"

Suzume's gentle voice brought me back to reality and I had to blink a few times, until I was able to focus her little shape in the dark room. Shortly after, the meaning of her words floated into my mind and suddenly my blood shot through my cheeks without any suggestive reason. Suzume giggled cheerfully, but obviously didn't expect any answer. She just jumped on my bed and snuggled down in my left blanket. I didn't blame her at all, the cape was warm enough and gave me a safe feeling.

Suzume's little figure wasn't so little any more, but she managed to curl between the pillows. By the looks of it, my bed was full tonight.

When Suzume's breaths became more regular, Ichiko and I grinned at each other.

"Sometimes you are jealous on her innocence, aren't you?" I nodded approvingly and my throat was free again. With a silent smile I pulled Munto's cape tighter – if he'd ever find out I misused it as blanket sometimes, I'd jump off the Takamori Cooperation's roof, that's for sure.

"I'll do it." I whispered into the darkness and Ichiko's head instantly turned into my direction, before she chuckled. "After all, I can't allow some fool to invade the Heavens, huh?"

My best friend unsuccessfully suppressed a laugh and Suzume just rolled on the other side.

"I knew you'd say that."

"What do you mean?"

Ichiko gently pushed Suzume a bit to the left and ensconced herself in my bed. Luckily it was big so nobody had to fear falling down through the night. I curled into my pillows too and watched Ichiko over Suzume's head. She took her time to answer, but when she started to talk her words were full of confidence, though filled with a little amount of worry.

"I know you miss them, Yumemi. I'm not blind. And you talk while you sleep sometimes."

My face turned red immediately and I could be lucky the room was dark. I didn't want to know what I was babbling during my sometimes more than realistic dreams but fortunately Ichiko didn't tell me.

"I can see it everyday. You keep staring into the sky and meanwhile you hate rain or the clouds more than ever. You freak out every time someone speaks badly about the Heavens and this destroys everything I know about you. I just can't forget the little dreamy girl." She laughed and yawned.

"It has been continuing for five years nor. I know you're afraid, but I'm sure tomorrow you'll be happy about it at the latest."

To be honest, my stomach was already jumping around like a ball – because the sudden thought of seeing the Heavens made my crazy. My little darkness continued existing but it stopped growing, but a singly stream of light made its way through to me.

"Enjoy it as long as you can. You'll be able to cut it. Oh that you can be sure. You capture everybody's imagination without knowing it."

I only raised my eyebrow skeptically and decided she was too tired, when she started to say something. But okay, it's been a long day.

"Give a fuck about this idiotic council. The might think you won't be able to take it, because you're just a girl and your job is impossible for you – and maybe they want to intimidate you – but you have courage. I have to say, I don't like your king up there and you know that. But I have to thank him for changing you. The Heavens changed you back then too. So it can't be bad if you'll return. Now you'll be the one changing it."

She gave a little smile.

"And I'll doss now, no matter what you're going to say." „

"Thanks." I didn't know what else to say.

"That's what I'm here for, isn't it? It's my job to take care of you two or you'd end up in deep trouble."

I grinned and she did so too. Her breath became slower and she seemed to be close to sleep. And though I'd already been keeping her up too long, I still asked:

"Do you think Toché talked about him? With 'important person'?"

"I don't know. Maybe. What do you think?" she mumbled sleepy.

"I don't know, too." I whispered into the room, realized she slept deep and turned towards the window, while some little stars came out behind the clouds. The coat lied warm and soft on my skin.

"But I hope so. I really do."


End file.
